6kv Chapter 86 He saved us! Qingyang! He saved us!
Chapter 86 He saved us! Qingyang! He saved us!
Chapter 86 He saved us! Qingyang! He saved us!
Inside the prison van, the boy closed his eyes, buried his head in his arms, and fell silent, as if his words had exhausted all his strength.
Master Fan walked up to Xing Daorong's horse, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Brother Daorong, I'll take my leave."
He paused, then added gravely, "The road ahead is treacherous; be extremely careful. The great demon Mu Kui has already taken notice."
"It is said that Mu Kui has gathered the remaining forces of Luoxingze and Canglang River, and human sects such as Yunhai Gang that are affiliated with evil spirits are secretly supporting him."
"They—will absolutely not allow you to take the young master to the Zhenwu Division prison in Luyang Prefecture."
Xing Daorong remained expressionless, but his grip on the reins seemed to tighten slightly: "Thank you for informing me. I know what I'm doing."
Master Fan said no more and led the Changhai Sect members away in disappointment.
The convoy set off again, but the atmosphere was even more oppressive than before.
Zhang Yuan keenly sensed that Wang Ziteng beside him was acting extremely strangely.
His face was deathly pale, his eyes were fixed on the direction of the prison cart that was now covered by a black cloth again, his body was trembling slightly, and his breathing became heavy, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying and unbelievable.
"Ziteng?" Zhang Yuan approached him and called softly, "What's wrong?"
Wang Ziteng suddenly came to his senses, grabbed Zhang Yuan's arm with such force that Zhang Yuan felt a slight pain.
His lips trembled, his voice filled with fear and urgency: "Qingyang! Do you remember—how we were rescued back then? Right there in the swollen floodwaters of that Chensha River!"
Zhang Yuan was stunned, his memory instantly pulled back to that terrifying scene: "Of course I remember. We were swept away in the wooden barrel, about to sink to the bottom of the river, when fishermen downstream risked their lives to pole their boats out and pull us out—"
He paused, for this was a shared memory.
"Yes! Wooden barrels!" Wang Ziteng's eyes widened, and he gripped Zhang Yuan's arm tightly, his voice trembling with excitement. "But have you ever considered that we were already swept by the flood to the vicinity of the confluence of the Chensha River and the Yucang River? The current was so rapid, and there were so many whirlpools!"
Why were we ultimately rescued near "Liuwan Ferry" upstream on the Chensha River?!
Zhang Yuan's heart skipped a beat!
He never investigated this detail.
Back then, I was only grateful to be saved and never thought about the strange things that had happened.
At this moment, Wang Ziteng pointed it out, and a chill ran down his spine.
"I saw him!" Wang Ziteng pointed sharply to the prison cart covered by a black cloth, his fingers trembling. His voice was extremely low, yet filled with absolute certainty. "Just when the flood was at its fiercest, when the wooden barrel was about to sink!"
"I was in a daze, and I saw a... a boy! He... he seemed to be standing on the water! The water was so swift, yet he stood very steadily! He seemed to glance in our direction, and... he even waved!"
Wang Ziteng's pupils dilated as he recalled the memory, filled with disbelief: "Then—then I felt the world spinning, like the whole river had turned upside down!"
"And then—I don't know anything else. When I woke up, I was on a fishing boat. They said they found us at Liuwan Ferry!"
"I always thought it was a hallucination before I died—but just now! I saw him! The boy in the prison van! It was him! I'd recognize those eyes even if he were ashes! Cold—yet also—a little pitiful?"
His voice was choked with sobs, filled with confusion and immense shock: "It was him! He was the one who pushed us in the flood! Otherwise, we would have sunk to the river mouth and become fish food!"
"He saved us! Qingyang! He saved us! How could he be—how could he be—"
Wang Ziteng was agitated and was about to turn his horse around, seemingly wanting to rush to the prison cart to get some answers.
"Ziteng!" Zhang Yuan reacted quickly, grabbing the reins tightly with such force that Wang Ziteng's horse snorted.
His eyes were sharp as knives as he quickly scanned his surroundings, then lowered his voice and said in an icy tone, "Calm down!"
Look around!
Wang Ziteng followed Zhang Yuan's gaze.
The silent Black Scale Knights, though seemingly focused straight ahead, never took their hands off the hilts of their swords or spears. Their icy gazes were as if they were tangible, vigilantly scanning every direction that might approach the prison cart.
Especially Captain Xing Daorong, although he closed his eyes to rest, the aura emanating from his body was like a volcano about to erupt, full of deadly threat.
Any unusual action taken against the prison van could result in swift and ruthless annihilation.
Startled by the invisible, chilling aura, Wang Ziteng's feverish mind instantly cooled down, and cold sweat poured down his back as he realized how dangerous his impulsive actions had been.
"Don't rush," Zhang Yuan's voice was deep and powerful, his eyes gesturing for him to calm down, "Now is not the time. Stay calm."
Wang Ziteng looked at Zhang Yuan's calm yet unquestionable gaze, and his violently heaving chest slowly calmed down. He gritted his teeth, nodded with difficulty, and his clenched fists turned white at the knuckles.
As dusk fell, the caravan did not reach the designated rest stop, but instead stopped in front of an abandoned ancient temple.
The temple gate plaque hangs askew, the faded characters barely legible: "Nanruo Temple".
Wild grass grows rampant among the broken walls and ruins, and the evening wind blows, bringing a mournful sound, adding to the desolate and eerie atmosphere.
Black Scale Army Captain Xing Daorong swept his gaze across the dilapidated temple, then looked towards the distant, shrouded mountains in twilight, and ordered in a deep voice: "Tonight, we will sleep here. Place the prison cart in front of the Great Buddha Hall. Everyone, take turns keeping watch; do not slacken your vigilance!"
The heavy prison cart screeched as it was slowly pushed through the dilapidated gate of the temple onto the gravel road.
Everyone silently dismounted and got off their vehicles, and began to clear the area and set up a perimeter.
Zhang Yuan looked up at the "Nanruo Temple" plaque that was gradually being swallowed by darkness, then glanced at the prison cart that resembled a huge tomb, and at Wang Ziteng beside him, who was restless and staring intently at the prison cart.
-
Inside the dilapidated Mahavira Hall of Nanruo Temple, cobwebs formed a curtain, and dust filled the air.
The clay-sculpted, gilded Buddha statue was already dilapidated, its head half-collapsed, revealing rotten straw and a wooden frame inside. The compassionate face was reduced to half a drooping eyebrow, while the other side had collapsed into a hideous black hole.
The broken Buddha hand hung limply, as if it could not bear the weight of this dilapidated palace.
The night wind blew in through the collapsed walls and broken windows, making the few remaining prayer flags rustle, adding to the desolate and eerie atmosphere.
Several bonfires were lit in the open space inside the hall, their orange-red flames leaping and barely dispelling the thick darkness in the corners, but also casting the distorted shadows of the broken Buddha and the hall pillars onto the peeling murals, like ghostly figures.
Zhang Yuan silently picked up a slightly charred steamed bun that smelled of wheat, which had been roasting by the campfire, and subtly gave a wink to the distracted Wang Ziteng beside him.
The two men rose and walked toward the prison cart in the center of the hall, which resembled a giant coffin.
"Young Master Qingyang, wait!" Head guard Zeng Bo immediately stepped forward, blocking the way, his eyes scanning the prison cart warily. "Prison cart is a restricted area; do not approach."