Chen Kuang watched as Qingcuo walked away, and reached out to touch the spot where the paper crane was on his body, sighing inwardly.
He had suddenly made this request partially because the gunpowder might prove useful.
The other reason was to see if he might save Qingcuo's life...
From those words just now, it seemed Qingcuo harbored thoughts of death.
Although he didn't know what she was planning to do, it was clear that she wasn't intending on coming back.
If Chen Kuang's promise at the city gate could make her reconsider, it would be great.
Chen Kuang took a deep breath, sensing the Carefree Wine's liquid churning in his stomach, evaporating swiftly, igniting the Spiritual Qi within, which surged energetically, like a swarm of small mice scuttling through his meridians, stimulating the pools in each acupoint.
His skin flushed red, muscles taut, signs of overflowing amplified blood and energy.
Even the residual old injuries in his legs healed instantly.
He had endured a lot these days to remain hidden, repeatedly breaking his own shin bones twice, suffering greatly...
It was all thanks to Li Hongling.
"Heh..."
Chen Kuang laughed silently.
If given the chance, he would definitely let Li Hongling taste this kind of suffering as well.
The effects of the Carefree Wine were unbelievably strong; within a few breaths, the barrier of his fifth acupoint began to loosen.
As the alcoholic aura enveloped him, the previously empty acupoints were filled with pseudo-Spiritual Qi converted from the alcohol vapors, and Chen Kuang's aura continued to rise swiftly.
Fifth acupoint, fourth, third... first!
Nine Orifices Opened, Peak of Enlightenment Realm!
Perhaps due to Chen Kuang's inherently low cultivation, the wine's effect was unexpectedly good.
The passive function of the Fetal Breathing Technique continued to operate, in tandem with the wine's effect, devouring the surrounding Spiritual Qi like a whale.
Chen Kuang even felt he could ascend another level.
"Hoo..."
Chen Kuang exhaled deeply, clenched his fist tightly, the lotus mark on his forehead naturally activated, faintly shimmering, with all his acupoints open, making his mind extraordinarily clear and full.
His five senses were also enhanced to their peak; he could even hear the insects chirping miles away.
In the mortal martial arts world, this was the level of a second-rate top expert!
Above this would be the Innate Realm, able to become the head of a sect, commanding the martial world.
Along with the abundant aura, harmonious and whole, his state now could even be described as pseudo-Innate!
"Ah!"
Chu Wen Ruo suddenly exclaimed, hiding behind Chen Kuang, nervously said:
"Prison Guard! Have we been discovered?"
Chen Kuang turned back, indeed seeing a prison guard, but he remained calm; he had sensed this person's presence earlier.
However, all other guards had been casually killed by Qingcuo, the one remaining must also be an ally.
This guard was gray-haired and somewhat aged.
He saluted Chu Wen Ruo: "Greetings, Madame, Princess. I am Lu Kuan, enlisted under the Huo Character Banner in the Sixth Year of Xuanwen, fortunate to serve General Huo, and specially came to escort you out of prison."
Chu Wen Ruo was momentarily stunned, quickly helped him up: "There is no Madame anymore... Thank you for the rescue."
Lu Kuan smiled: "Madame is truly a good person."
He was one of the familiar faces among the guards referred to by Huo Hengxuan earlier.
Also the one who delivered the Unsealing Golden Needle to Huo Hengxuan.
Chen Kuang had to admire Huo Hengxuan's numerous and precise preparations.
Among Li Hongling's army, he had people placed strategically, few in number but crucial.
If not for the opportunistic surrender of Imperial City's noble cowards, Huo Hengxuan alone might have prolonged Da Liang's years, perhaps even slaying Li Hongling and invading Great Zhou, not impossible.
Yet these people forcefully severed their own path.
Chu Wen Ruo held the Little Princess tightly, tugged on Chen Kuang's sleeve, softly asked: "Mr. Chen, shall we leave now?"
Chen Kuang's eyes glinted: "Wait a moment."
He turned to the restless prisoners in other cells, asked Lu Kuan: "You should have keys to other cells, right? Could I trouble you to release them all?"
Lu Kuan nodded: "Naturally, that's possible."
This made several shouting individuals suddenly silent.
They had thought Chen Kuang and Chu Wen Ruo would choose to save time and escape immediately, unexpectedly, they truly turned back to save them.
Those ministers and palace attendants from Liang Kingdom hesitantly walked out of their cells, displaying various expressions but all bore the joy of escaping death.
Some stepped forward to express gratitude, while others snorted coldly, not expressing thanks, feeling it was merely what should be done.
The Confucian Scholar who had cursed earlier, raising his head proudly as he passed by Chu Wen Ruo, muttered disdainfully: "Engaging in unclear relations with a mere Musician, indeed unworthy of being Mother of the Nation..."
Chu Wen Ruo's face instantly turned pale.
"Strum——"
Gently plucked strings, deep notes resonated in the cell, lost within the noisy crowd.
Yet, the next instant, the cell fell into brief silence.
"Heh heh..."
The Confucian Scholar's eyes widened, raised trembling hands to touch his face, opened his mouth to speak, but in the next moment, his mouth "split" apart.
Intertwining, spreading to both sides.
A line bisected his body, splitting him from top to bottom, falling separately to each side.
A puddle of blood-red flower bloomed within the cell.
Dead silence.
The recently freed prisoners' faces changed suddenly, looking sharply at Chen Kuang.
Chen Kuang casually plucked the strings two or three more times, swept his gaze over everyone, coldly said:
"Now, you can start running."
"The city gate is to the east; those who run slowly, if I catch up, will end up like this."
Boundless fear instantly spread in their hearts, prisoners yelled as they rushed to escape outside.
Chu Wen Ruo tightly covered Little Princess's eyes, glanced at Chen Kuang and instead pursed her lips, drawing closer.
Chen Kuang was somewhat surprised, then smiled at her, explaining:
"Their interference can help ensure a smoother escape."
He didn't have spare kindness for these people.
The opportunity had been given, and whether they survived depended on their luck...
The old prison guard seemed shaken for a moment, but quickly, he took several deep breaths, regaining composure.
He saluted again: "Madame and Mr. Chen may proceed, I will handle the aftermath here."
Chen Kuang nodded, took Chu Wen Ruo's hand, and walked outside.
Outside, the night was deep, flames rising gradually.
...
After they left, the prison guard standing in place remained silent for a long time, suddenly knelt outside the cell and kowtowed fiercely three times.
"General... I'm sorry, my loyalty has been exhausted, this Da Liang's foolish emperor shouldn't endure this fate."
"That snowy night years ago, the General saved me, gave me a meal, yet beneath that snow lay my elderly mother's life."
"If not for Su Yu dog's constant taxation, greedy officials lining their own pockets, no disaster relief, my mother wouldn't have starved to death..."
He muttered tremulously, kneeling on the ground, tears streaming from his eyes.
In his hand was a strand of golden silk.
The Golden Needle was missing a strand.
Lu Kuan laughed heartily: "Destiny is set; Liang Kingdom must perish!"
After speaking, he crashed into a pillar nearby, dying on the spot.