Chapter Eighty-Six: Feather's Sorrow Dissipated, Devious Mechanisms

“Brother Yu, why have you remained silent all this time? Did you notice something unusual?” Lan Bingxian couldn’t help but ask, seeing that Yu Shang was frowning deeply and staring intently at the nine stone statues, lost in thought. She knew well his habit: whenever he fell silent, it was always because he had discovered something inexplicable.

In truth, Lan Bingxian was not at all worried that they wouldn’t be able to claim the family scroll. Even if their master refused to help, what did it matter—they still had Yu Shang! In her eyes, no trial or difficulty could ever block Yu Shang’s path; there was no mechanism or puzzle under heaven that he could not overcome. Of course, everyone has their weaknesses, and for this young man, the only hurdle he could not surmount was that of the heart.

She could not decide whether to admire his devotion or mock his foolishness. Sooner or later, this weakness would become a fatal blow: at best, it would turn him into a cold, unfeeling glacier, never trusting in love again; at worst, it could cost him his life and doom him to eternal oblivion, erasing his presence from the world. As for what fate awaited Yu Shang, that would depend on his own fortune—for Heaven delights most in toying with such souls. Heaven loves to torment mortals, to see them exhausted in body and mind; especially when they come close to despair, Heaven will grant them a sliver of hope, only to cruelly destroy it, plunging them into utter hopelessness.

“I was just pondering why these nine statues are arranged with the ninth, Chiwen, at the center, revered as if the others encircle him like stars around the moon. Shouldn’t Qiuniu, the eldest of the nine dragon sons, be at the forefront? What is the difference between these two that would lead to such a strange order?” Yu Shang gazed at the lifelike statues, utterly perplexed.

No wonder he had felt something amiss upon entering—only after closer scrutiny did he realize the peculiarity. He had heard that the War Dragon clan valued the position of the eldest above all; as sons of the War Dragon King, they would never disregard the eldest and elevate the ninth instead. What could be the reason for this arrangement? What secret was being hinted at through these statues?

Hearing Yu Shang’s words, the others too sensed something was wrong. In any gathering of dragons, the eldest should naturally take the lead. Why, then, was the ninth placed at the center here? Was it an oversight, or an intentional act by the arranger?

“They’re all descendants of the ancient War Dragon—what difference could there be? If anything, one runs on land, the other swims in water, that’s all,” Xiao Yin remarked dismissively. He truly didn’t understand why these nine strange creatures were so revered by later generations; they were merely descendants of the ancient dragon—what was so special about that?

After all, the great deeds of old were not accomplished by that little dragon alone. Why had the world forgotten the other heroes and remembered only that not-so-formidable dragon? It was unfair! The War Dragon clan now held an exalted status, while his own kin were dismissed as insignificant worms.

Why had his ancestors, who had done so much for the world, ended up forgotten? Worst of all, all the merit had been attributed to that little dragon. Did these foolish mortals not realize the suffering their ancestors endured for them, only to die wrongly accused in the end? Just thinking of it filled him with anger and resentment!

No matter what, Xiao Yin would settle this score. He would ensure that the War Dragon clan received their just deserts. If they had the audacity to frame his ancestor back then, they should now have the courage to face the consequences—retribution long overdue.

Though Xiao Yin tried to conceal his feelings, the old headmaster standing in the corner noticed. He shook his head and sighed, gazing at Xiao Yin with inscrutable thoughts. Did he know the truth of it all, hence his deep sigh? If so, it would explain why there were frescoes depicting someone like Xiao Yin in the secret passage.

“You said swims in water? That’s it—the answer lies in water!” Yu Shang, only just muttering to himself, suddenly exclaimed aloud, startling everyone who turned to look at him, including the old headmaster who had maintained a detached air since entering the treasury.

“What’s so special about water? Isn’t it everywhere?” Meng Youyuan was truly baffled—why would such a commonplace thing elicit such a strong reaction from Yu Shang? Did water have something to do with retrieving the family scroll? But she saw no connection at all.

“It’s precisely because water is everywhere, and nothing can survive without it, that it’s the key,” Leng Huaiyi said gently, glancing at the confused crowd and then at Yu Shang, whose expression was full of knowing amusement.

Had it not been for Xiao Yin’s unintentional remark, they would still be stuck at a dead end. It seemed that everything was predestined; without any one of them, the family scroll could not be retrieved. Was this the legendary invisible bond, impossible to sever or unravel, that kept them together?

“Hahaha, Leng, truly none know me better than you! You’ve already guessed some of it, haven’t you? This mechanism is truly fiendish!” Yu Shang walked over and clapped Leng Huaiyi on the shoulder, grinning. In terms of wit, Leng Huaiyi was no lesser than himself, but his indifference to worldly matters made Yu Shang seem more suited to lead.

“You two, enough with the riddles—none of us can make sense of what you’re saying. Quickly, explain what’s going on!” Xun Mishuang cut in, impatient with their mutual admiration despite the critical situation.

“Exactly! I’m about to faint from your cryptic exchanges. Just tell us what it all means!” Lan Wu could hardly stand the banter between the two clever men—it only left the rest of them anxious and confused.

“Water is essential for all life; nothing can survive without it. Think about it—haven’t we been dealing with water all along? We nearly died in that poisoned pool! This place is a world of water, and as the one most closely tied to water, Chiwen is naturally the guardian of this treasury!” Yu Shang patiently explained, genuinely admiring the ingenuity of the one who designed this place—a figure of uncommon wisdom, without a doubt.

“That explains why Chiwen, the ninth, is in the center. But how do we trigger the mechanism and retrieve the family scroll?” Yan Xuesu still couldn’t see the use of this revelation; understanding it didn’t help them unlock the device.

“Yu, are you saying only water can unlock it? But there’s nothing here but these statues—how do we find the source of water in this place?” Yu Xiaoran seemed to have grasped the idea, but now they faced another headache: how to produce water in this barren chamber.

“Wait! Isn’t the pearl able to control water? Maybe it can draw out the water and solve the mechanism!” Yin Boxuan hadn’t forgotten the power of the pearl—perhaps it could be useful again. In truth, he simply couldn’t forget anything connected to Meng Youyuan. If the pearl weren’t related to her, he’d have long since put it out of mind.

“Its power lies in controlling water, not summoning it. Besides, after what happened last time, I don’t want Yuan Yuan to come into contact with it again for now,” Yu Shang replied, frowning. Though he had solved the puzzle, the core problem remained. Were they doomed to failure after all, unable to reclaim the scroll?

“Yes, if the pearl is triggered, Yuan Yuan could fall under its spell again. Not everyone is lucky enough to wake up unharmed each time,” Lan Bingxian said slowly but firmly. He couldn’t bear to see Yuan Yuan—who had only just recovered—lose consciousness again; he couldn’t endure that agony a second time.

“So what are we to do? Are we really going to leave empty-handed?” Xun Mishuang said, unwilling to accept defeat. Though she wasn’t directly involved, she was part of the team. Besides, Leng Huaiyi would be competing soon; it was safer to retrieve the family scroll and learn about their rivals ahead of time.

“If you can’t find it here, look within yourselves,” the old headmaster murmured from the side. His voice was faint, but it didn’t escape their ears. Perhaps he wasn’t so bad after all—just trapped by the constraints of his position.

“Look within ourselves? He can’t mean our blood, can he?” Meng Youyuan frowned. If it took all their blood to satisfy the statue, wouldn’t that drain them dry? The designer of this mechanism must have been truly cruel—who could escape after claiming the scroll if it cost that much?

“If it really is as Yuan Yuan says, the designer must have been deranged! It’s a death trap for anyone seeking the scroll. Why not just say it’s off-limits instead of demanding people’s lives?” Lan Wu fumed. Did all those mysterious, high-level cultivators enjoy watching others die?

“Hmph, even if you used all your ordinary blood, you couldn’t fill that vat. Think instead if any among you can rival the dragon sons—perhaps their blood is the key to this mechanism!” the old headmaster sneered, clearly anticipating a spectacle.

“Xiao Yin…” Before Yu Shang could say more, Xiao Yin stepped forward as if summoned, saying, “Enough, I know what to do!” Yet the others hesitated—could this little serpent really be on par with the dragon descendants? If so, his origins were indeed impressive. But what was the meaning behind the hatred in his eyes?

Xiao Yin strode up to the statue of Chiwen, snorted disdainfully, and raised his hand. With his other hand shaped like a blade, he slashed down, and blood gushed forth like water, flowing into the stone pearl in Chiwen’s mouth. For some reason, the others felt a chill of dread, fearing for Xiao Yin’s safety.

The statue seemed insatiable—Xiao Yin’s face was pale, yet nothing happened. Just as they were about to call him back, the stone pearl suddenly radiated a brilliant light, hurling Xiao Yin away. The nine statues now all glowed with a golden hue, bearing a striking resemblance to the ancient War Dragon itself.