Chapter 231 - Interrogation Rack
There was a defensive formation at the mouth of the cave.
In the empty space that seemed as if nothing was there, Ye Qingyu was able to sense a minute fluctuation of energy. From the little he could discern, it seemed extremely intricate. Under the colour of the night, there were four strands of light that moved erratically, hardly noticeable if one had normal vision. Normal people had no way of discovering it.
It was only at the moment where Ye Qingyu nearly stepped out that he discovered it.
Arrays were one of the derivations of the formation martial path.
Truly strong formation arrays could rend heaven and destroy the earth in a moment. Even extreme experts had the possibility of perishing in such destructive formation arrays. It absolutely could not be underestimated.
Ye Qingyu knelt down, closely inspecting.
A short while later.
"This formation array is not simple… from its pattern and sensitivity, it absolutely was placed by a true expert."
After the close inspection of Ye Qingyu, he could not help but shiver in his heart.
From the profoundness of the placement of the formation, it was evidently a hidden array from all the categories.
A so called hidden array could be understood just from its name. It was an array that was concealed, without leaking the slightest yuan qi fluctuation and could not be detected by normal sense. It was a formation array that was not easily discovered. This type of array was more powerful in terms of giving warning than defense, its main use being to alert the guards and the masters.
Ye Qingyu was somewhat hesitant.
With his strength, he could entirely forcefully break through such a level of formation array without any danger at his own life. But in the process, he would definitely alert the guards. At that time, his plan to secretly infiltrate inside would be completely destroyed, and would cause some change in his plans.
"Hmph, heh, heh… woof, woof, in the end, my almighty master needs to rely in the even more almighty Woof master!"
Seeing Ye Qingyu's difficulties, the Little Nine on his shoulder instantly became smug.
It rose up on its legs, one paw placed at his waist, the other paw extended upwards with a silver claw extended out towards the sky at forty-five degrees. He completely pretended to be a saviour of the world and was annoying to the extreme.
"You have a way?"
Ye Qingyu rarely had such an expectant gaze when looking at the little glutton who was idle all day, and who only knew to sleep after eating.
"Of course! Otherwise how did you think I managed to so easily escape from inside… no, I walked out!" Little Nine directly rolled his eyes at Ye Qingyu. But this fellow knew that it was not the right moment for him to discuss terms and conditions with his 'vicious master' just yet, so he very quickly exhibited an incredible technique that made Ye Qingyu completely stunned!
One could see on the originally pure as white jade body of Little Nine, there was suddenly a strange sight, as if there was some sort of strange connection with the moon in the skies. The pure and holy moonlight was absorbed by his body, then this was radiated out in a white hazy ball of light.
This hazy ball of light instantly wrapped around Little Nine and Ye Qingyu. Inside, Ye Qingyu could not even sense any yuan qi coming from his own body, as if he had completely assimilated with the air around him.
The silly dog took a step forward with his paw in the hidden array.
There was not any change whatsoever.
Evidently, this painstakingly laid out hidden array had not detected the intrusion of this dog. Therefore, naturally there would not be any warnings given off.
"Just what… sort of technique is this? You have this kind of ability? When did you learn this?" Ye Qingyu was really shocked by this.
Assimilate into nothingness?
This technique was somewhat going against the heavens
This silly dog really had such an ability?
He had not discovered this at all before.
No wonder this silly dog dared say he could enter as he pleased in the Pass Lord's residence, and even brought the little braided hair girl Xiaoxian into the Pass Lord's residence… with such an ability, it was most likely that there was not even a single place in Youyan Pass he could not enter.
Thinking back to the extremely mysterious origins of this dog, Ye Qingyu suddenly felt that everything was not so ridiculous.
Marquis Ye felt that he had really underestimated this silly dog.
Perhaps there were many talents and secrets that this fellow possessed apart from eating that he had not yet uncovered.
His eyes had already begun to carefully scan over the little cheeky dog on his shoulder. His expression was so serious that it seemed as if he wanted to place him into a dog stew.
"Woof, you, what do you want from me?" All the hairs on Little Nine's body was completely raised by this gaze of Ye Qingyu. He did not pretend to be amazing anymore, and explained, " I don't even know my own ability. When I was escaping, I suddenly had it, how can I explain it clearly. Anyway, right now we should focus on saving the people quickly…“
Ye Qingyu's gaze that could naturally suppress Little Nine retreated, giving him a glance that said 'when we return, I'll examine you carefully.'. Walking onwards under the silver light barrier emitted from Little Nine, they passed through the hidden formation array and entered into the cave.
This hidden array made through profound means did not raise any alarm whatsoever
As they entered the cave, Ye Qingyu advanced rapidly under Little Nine's lead.
Little Nine also seriously observed Ye Qingyu's expression.
He discovered, after that series of jest and buffoonery, his master’s expression was no longer as dark as it was before. Letting out a breath of relief, he affectionately used his head to rub against Ye Qingyu's face, and stuck out his tongue, beginning to grin happily.
Ye Qingyu's focus was always gathered on the passageway.
He could not help but admit that this time, the glutton had really not let him down.
Previously, he had known the terrain to this place like the back of his own hand. There was not even the slightest of error as he led Ye Qingyu into the depths of the mountain.
On the way, Ye Qingyu once again passed by five hidden array formations in total, one stronger after another. But these arrays under the miraculous power of Little Nine did not pose any use whatsoever. They easily traversed past it without alerting anyone.
"This hidden array is evidently only set up recently. The person who placed it seems very confident in it, for there to be no one to stand guard…"
Ye Qingyu was able to see some intricacies.
He had discovered, that the style and method of these formation arrays, obviously came from the hands of the people from the sects. It was absolutely not the style of the [Youyan army]. Although he had not come for too long a time in Youyan Pass, but Ye Qingyu knew very well the way the [Youyan army] did things.
He felt more and more that this was not a new recruit training camp at all, but rather the den of a nest of bandits from Jianghu.
As these thoughts occurred to him, he memorized the terrain of this cave in his heart as well as theorizing over all the clues.
The passageway of the mountain was rugged and craggy, the boulders of the wall rough and crooked, lump and bumps everywhere. It seemed to be a cave excavated from a natural fissure in the rocks that travelled deep into the belly of the mountain in a slope. Approximately every tens of meters or so, there would be a lit torch hanging on the walls that produced sounds of cracking. The fires of the torch constantly changed directions according to the cold breeze of the passageway.
There was no one at all on the way.
Very quickly, there was a strange smell coming up ahead.
It seemed like some sort of rotten object that brought with it an acrid blood smell.
Ye Qingyu suddenly realized something.
His footsteps slowed
After tens of breaths, a prison space deep within the mountain appeared before Ye Qingyu's arms.
The prison deep within the mountain was arranged in a classic fishbone shape. There was a main passageway with numerous two meter long diversions on both sides of this main passageway. On these diversions, there were caves that had been dug out, and the steel bars on the outside had turned it into simple prisons of all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Ye Qingyu stood just outside the main passageway for a long time. After not seeing any guards whatsoever, and the fact Little Nine had told him that there was no one placing surveillance on the prisons outside, he thought it over then appeared and decisively walked through the main passageway.
As he passed by these diversions, Ye Qingyu was able to discern the situation inside.
If was not any different from the description of Little Nine. He discovered that those who were imprisoned were those common civilians with no power to resist. There were no commoners that were even shackled, but they had no way to escape from these prisons.
As they neared the end of the main passageway, there were already some martial experts imprisoned. But the majority of the martial artists had low strength and had evidence of beatings and injuries on their bodies. Every one of them had a candle yellow face. From the weakness of these bodies, one could determine that they had already experienced some form of torture.
These people were in a daze. They completely did not notice Ye Qingyu passing by.
"Hm? It's them!"
Ye Qingyu was already able to see the armed escort men in these several prisons.
Several days before, these armed escorts had enjoyed alcohol happily as they pleased in the [Common Liquor House]. Every one of them were as lively as a dragon or a tiger, but right now they all sat on the cold floor of the prison listlessly, bounded by chains. There was not even a shred of hope left on their bodies.
Ye Qingyu's fist clenched slightly, abandoning the idea to immediately rescue these people.
He must obtain even more clues and evidence to not waste this operation.
He passed through the main passageway before him, heading deeper and deeper inside.
As the passageway ended, there were spiral stairs that led deeper in, seeming to be leading one to an even more important place. After around a few minutes, the stairs had already reached its end. There was a stone door without any lock appearing in front of him, with vague noise of clamour and the brightness of fire emitting from it.
"Those people are inside."
This was the low suppressed voice of Little Nine.
The people that he meant was naturally the sword scarred military officer and the others.
Ye Qingyu sighed in amazement. This was the deepest parts of the prison in the mountains, but there was not any protection whatsoever. He decisively walked to the door, and came there, peering inside.
What was below him was even more sinister and vicious!
The vision in front of him suddenly brightened.
What Ye Qingyu first saw was a massive circular space.
Approximately three or four acres large, the ground was flat and the tens of torches burning caused everything to be lit brightly. A surge of bloody odour surged at him towards the outside. What was most drawing to one's eyes was the assorted torture tools in front of him. There were punishment instruments the size of a person; pliers that were used to pluck people’s fingernails out, the burning red hot brand, as well as tiger seats that had been completely dyed red with blood.
This evidently was an interrogation room filled with all sorts of torturous instruments!
Ye Qingyu took another few steps inside, having a good look at the environment.
The layout of this interrogation room also had numerous diverted passageways around it like the claws of a crab. There were similarly prisons like before on these diverted passageways, but every path was guarded carefully by experts of the sects with decent strength. It should be that people who had comparatively high status were imprisoned here. It could not be compared to the commoners and the armed escorts at all.
And right now in the middle of the interrogation room, there were two bloodied figures that were hung on the huge black rack.