Chen Kuang watched Qingcuo leave as he reached to touch the spot on his chest where the paper crane was tucked and sighed inwardly.
He had suddenly made that request for exactly two reasons.
One, because that gunpowder might truly come in handy.
The other... was because he wanted to try and save Qingcuo's life.
From the way she spoke earlier, it was clear she had already resolved to die.
He didn't know exactly what she was about to do, but clearly, she wasn't planning on coming back.
If, because of this appointment at the city gate, he could give her the slightest reason to turn around... that would be enough.
Chen Kuang took a deep breath, feeling the Carefree Wine stirring in his belly, steaming upward rapidly.
The Spiritual Energy within him was being triggered and activated, flowing like a surge of tiny mice darting through his meridians, stimulating the pools in each of his acupoints.
His skin flushed red, muscles tightened, that was a sign of surging qi and blood overflowing.
Even the lingering injuries in his legs healed almost instantly.
He had, after all, repeatedly broken his own legs the past few days to maintain the illusion, enduring no small amount of pain.
All thanks to Li Hongling's "grace."
"Heh..."
Chen Kuang let out a silent laugh.
If he got the chance, he'd be sure to let Li Hongling taste what this felt like.
The Carefree Wine was terrifyingly potent. In just a few breaths, the blockage at his fifth acupoint began to loosen.
And as the wine-vapor surged through his body, those previously empty acupoints filled with the wine's faux Spiritual Energy, and his cultivation rose rapidly.
Fifth acupoint... fourth... third... all the way to the first!
All Nine Gates Open, Peak of the Qi Opening Realm!
Perhaps because his cultivation had been so low to begin with, the effect of the Carefree Wine was nothing short of miraculous.
His Fetal Breathing Technique passive was still in operation, and with the wine's power, he was practically vacuuming in the Spiritual Energy around him.
Chen Kuang even felt... he might be able to go a step further.
"Whooo..."
He exhaled, clenching his fists. The lotus mark on his forehead lit up faintly. His acupoints were all connected, his spirit sharp and clear.
His five senses reached their peak, he could even hear insects chirping several miles away.
In the mortal martial world, this would be the level of a second-tier elite!
One step further would be the Innate Realm, a level fit to lead a sect and dominate the martial world.
With his overflowing aura so complete and harmonious, his current state could even be called a false innate!
"Ah!"
Chu Wenruo suddenly yelped and hid behind Chen Kuang, anxiously whispering:
"A prison guard! Have we been discovered?"
Chen Kuang turned his head and, sure enough, saw a jailer approaching, but he didn't panic. He'd already sensed this man's presence moments ago.
All the other guards had likely been quietly dealt with by Qingcuo. This remaining one had to be another of their own.
The jailer had graying hair and a somewhat aged appearance.
He saluted Chu Wenruo: "My lady, Your Highness, this humble man is Lu Kuan. I joined under the Huo banner in the sixth year of Xuanwen, and had the fortune of serving General Huo. I've come to escort you out."
Chu Wenruo was stunned for a moment before pulling him up hurriedly. "There is no more 'lady' now... but thank you for saving us."
Lu Kuan smiled. "My lady is truly a good person."
He was the familiar face Huo Hengxuan had mentioned earlier, the one who had delivered the needle that lifted the ban on his cultivation.
Chen Kuang had to admit, Huo Hengxuan's preparations were ridiculously thorough and surgical in precision.
In Li Hongling's army, there were people planted top to bottom. Not many, but all in crucial positions.
If not for the cowardly nobles in the royal court surrendering prematurely, Huo Hengxuan alone might have prolonged Liang's life for decades longer, or even slain Li Hongling and launched a counter-invasion into Zhou. It wasn't impossible.
But those people had cut off their own future.
Chu Wenruo held the princess in her arms and gently tugged at Chen Kuang's sleeve, whispering:
"Mr. Chen... should we leave now?"
Chen Kuang's eyes flickered. "Wait."
He turned to the noisy prisoners in the other cells and asked Lu Kuan:
"You should have the keys to the other cells, right? Could I trouble you to unlock them all?"
Lu Kuan nodded. "Of course."
Several of the prisoners who had been shouting moments before fell silent.
They had expected Chen Kuang and Chu Wenruo to escape quickly and ignore them. They hadn't imagined he'd actually come back to free them.
These officials and palace attendants of Liang stepped out hesitantly, expressions varied, though all carried the joy of surviving death.
Some came forward to express gratitude, while others simply snorted, not appreciating the gesture, as if it were expected.
One scholar who had earlier been shouting profanities now walked past Chu Wenruo with his head held high, muttering disdainfully:
"To have unclear ties with a mere musician, what a disgrace for a mother of the nation..."
Chu Wenruo's face turned deathly pale.
"Zheng~"
A soft pluck of strings echoed, low and solemn, nearly drowned out by the noise.
But in the next moment, silence fell across the cell.
"Guh... guh..."
The scholar's eyes widened in horror. His trembling hands pressed against his face. He opened his mouth to speak, only for it to split.
Top and bottom parted in opposite directions.
A line bisected him vertically, and his body split in two, from head to toe, collapsing to either side.
A pool of blood bloomed across the floor like a crimson flower.
Dead silence.
All the recently freed prisoners stared in horror at Chen Kuang.
He casually plucked a few more notes from the zither, his gaze sweeping across them as he said blandly:
"You may begin running now."
"The east gate's that way. If you're too slow, and I catch you, you'll end up like him."
A wave of terror crashed through the prisoners. They screamed and stampeded toward the exit, desperate to escape.
Chu Wenruo clutched the princess tightly, covering her eyes. She glanced at Chen Kuang, and instead of shrinking away, drew a little closer.
Chen Kuang was a bit surprised. He smiled and offered her a brief explanation:
"With them running interference, it'll be easier for us to escape unnoticed."
He wasn't so kind as to risk himself for them.
He'd given them a chance, whether they lived or died now depended on their luck.
The old jailer seemed briefly shaken, but soon took a few deep breaths and calmed down.
He bowed once more. "My lady, Mr. Chen, please go on ahead. I'll remain to clean up."
Chen Kuang nodded and took Chu Wenruo's hand, leading her toward the exit.
Outside the door, the night was deep, and fires were beginning to rise.
...
After the two left, the jailer stood silently for a while. Then suddenly, he knelt at the doorway and kowtowed three times.
"General... forgive me. My loyalty has reached its end. The foolish emperor of Liang never deserved such a heavenly fate."
"That snowy night, you saved my life and gave me a meal. But beneath that snow, lay my mother's corpse."
"If it weren't for that dog Su Yu, with his endless taxation, and corrupt officials stealing relief, how would my mother have starved to death..."
His voice trembled as he knelt, tears spilling from his eyes.
In his hand, a single golden thread.
The golden needle, missing precisely one strand.
Lu Kuan laughed bitterly. "The mandate of heaven is sealed. Liang deserves to die!"
With those words, he slammed his head into the stone pillar beside him, and died instantly.