Chapter Eighteen: Orders

“So you’re saying this passage beneath us leads to the underworld?”

Su Yuanbai lowered his head, gazing at the square opening beneath his feet. Darkness stretched endlessly below, yet he did not suffer the tormenting ordeal of a journey through hell as Qu Hanchen had.

“Even if it doesn’t lead directly to hell, it must open some portal to it—otherwise, the reflection of that great hell’s shadow wouldn’t have appeared in his pupils,” Xi Chunxue said, nodding.

“I… did I just go… to hell?” Qu Hanchen first patted his stomach, confirming he hadn’t been disemboweled, then pressed his beating heart, stammering in lingering terror.

But his words were quickly drowned out by the ensuing conversation. No one paid attention to the pitiful jailer, drenched in cold sweat.

“So, does that mean the one who killed the pi han was a warden from the underworld?” Duan Lingqi stroked his goatee, feigning wisdom as he responded to Xi Chunxue.

“You’re speaking of the wardens who escort souls to the afterlife? That would mean the King of the Fifth Court of Hell decreed the death of this pi han. But as you said, it isn’t truly a dragon’s offspring—why would the King of the Fifth Court want its soul? It’s more likely the killer was some malevolent spirit from hell, not a proper warden as you claim.” Xi Chunxue shook her head in disagreement.

“You’re much calmer than before,” Su Yuanbai remarked, turning to look at her. In his previous impression, Xi Chunxue had been quite agitated; her composed manner now was almost surprising.

“The onlooker sees things more clearly, that’s all,” Xi Chunxue answered quietly after a pause.

“If your suppositions are correct, then my cell has been watched by some ghost from hell since the beginning—and this ghost killed the pi han behind the bronze door days ago. If that’s true, then the chief warden Zhang must have visited this dungeon before leaving the island, and all three deputy wardens have come by this week. Did none of them notice anything?” Su Yuanbai mused softly, eyes downcast.

“Every new chief warden is briefed on all the prison’s affairs by their predecessor and inspects every corner of the place to avoid mistakes during the handover. So there’s no way Chief Zhang wouldn’t know…” Xi Chunxue replied, frowning in thought.

“Perhaps… it’s possible,” Duan Lingqi coughed lightly, and before the others could look at him, he offered his reasoning.

“Because the previous chief warden died suddenly in the prison,” Duan Lingqi said, glancing at Su Yuanbai, whose expression remained unchanged. This telling detail was caught clearly by Xi Chunxue, who held the luminous pearl.

Could Su Yuanbai have had something to do with the previous warden’s death?

“That’s why Zhang was hastily assigned here twenty years ago, and Li Xiaoyan, who came with him, is the one who truly manages prison affairs. Moreover, before entering the mundane world, I heard that the chief warden was a direct disciple of a master from the Jade Pillar Cave of Zhongnan Mountain,” Duan Lingqi explained.

“The Jade Pillar Cave of Zhongnan Mountain was once the abode of an ancient Golden Immortal, and even now Zhongnan is a sacred Daoist site. The chief warden’s background must be extraordinary,” Xi Chunxue gasped, drawing in a sharp breath. She had long sensed the chief warden’s formidable abilities but hadn’t guessed at such a distinguished lineage.

“Did I ever tell you that?” Su Yuanbai smiled faintly at Duan Lingqi.

Duan Lingqi nodded sheepishly.

“You know all about the new chief warden’s background, can move freely in this dungeon, open the bronze door, drag out the pi han’s corpse, and you’re even this evil flood dragon’s master. Just who are you?” Xi Chunxue asked warily, fixing Su Yuanbai with a guarded gaze.

He met her eyes in silence.

“I can introduce myself first. I’m from Baigu City in Shanqing Prefecture and a third-generation disciple of the Palace of Langhuan on Mount Wuliang, taught by Master Yuhua. Our palace venerates the Golden Mother,” Xi Chunxue said slowly, her eyes on Su Yuanbai.

“I… am Prisoner Number One in the Biluo Dungeon,” Su Yuanbai replied after a moment, meeting her bright, searching gaze.

She sighed self-mockingly, her eyes dimmed. “Fine—if you don’t want to say, don’t make up such nonsense just to ridicule me.”

“It’s not nonsense. That’s all I remember,” Su Yuanbai replied, shaking his head.

“Have you truly forgotten so much?” Duan Lingqi suddenly asked.

Su Yuanbai nodded.

“In that case, things are easier. If I’m not mistaken, your name is Su Yuanbai? Even if it isn’t, it doesn’t matter. I won’t play along with your games any longer.”

Without memories, you can’t recall the blood curse or use the blood pact to force me to obey,” Duan Lingqi declared, a wild, arrogant smile curling his lips as he addressed Su Yuanbai.

Xi Chunxue frowned at the scene.

“Are you sure?” Su Yuanbai tilted his head slightly, regarding Duan Lingqi.

A sudden pang shot through Duan Lingqi’s heart. He couldn’t say whether it was his own nerves or something else, but something in Su Yuanbai’s calm expression made him anxious. His manic grin faded, his defiant posture giving way to a hint of deference.

“I can pretend I saw nothing, and you can pretend you did nothing. It’s true I’ve forgotten many things, but that doesn’t mean I won’t remember them in the future,” Su Yuanbai said evenly.

“You… are truly foolish. Even if he’s lost his memory, his power remains. And without his cunning in this dungeon, where could you possibly go? Don’t forget, all your information comes from him. Besides, if I recall correctly, once the blood pact is established, it needs no further invocation—the master’s mere thought can compel you to act. Only if you violently resist would the blood curse be needed to force your compliance,” Xi Chunxue said, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. She hadn’t expected the evil flood dragon to turn traitor the instant its master forgot the blood curse—without even considering if Su Yuanbai’s words might be a lie. Perhaps its brain was filled with nothing but water.

“Thank you,” Su Yuanbai suddenly said to Xi Chunxue, glancing at her.

She looked at him, bewildered.

“No!” Duan Lingqi could only cry out, but his body had already coiled up. His skin erupted in countless streaks of dark yellow scales, his head morphing into that of a menacing flood dragon—brow bulging, but hornless.

“Dig,” Su Yuanbai commanded, his mind willing it into being.

Immediately, Duan Lingqi’s transformed four claws swirled with mist, his entire body plunging into the square opening, carving out a deep, mist-filled tunnel below in an instant.