Chapter 421: Until the final step is taken, one cannot lightly speak of victory or defeat

Fang Qingyan's gaze swept back and forth over Xiao Ningxun and Tuan Tuan's faces.

She smiled, the curve of her lips growing larger, filled with endless mockery and hatred.

"Hahaha… hahahaha…"

She laughed with utter glee, pointing at Tuan Tuan, her voice shrill: "You little bastard!"

Xiao Ningxun's heart sank—had he been tricked?

She's here? Where's Mother? Elder Brother? Could it be they were never imprisoned in this old barracks?

All of this is merely a smokescreen by Prince Chen and Qing Wang?

Fang Qingyan's laughter ceased, her face revealing a vicious, hateful ferocity.

She stared fixedly at Tuan Tuan, as if wanting to devour her alive: "Mother? You mean that wretch Cheng Ru'an?"

Xiao Ningxun had no time to waste on her: "Fang Qingyan! Where is my mother? Tell me, and I'll save you!"

"Save me? Humph!" Fang Qingyan snorted, "If not for you, how would I have ended up like this?"

"If not for you, how would Shu Er have died miserably in the Imperial Weaving Workshop?"

"I wish you all dead to keep her company in the grave!"

"Your mother?"

Fang Qingyan looked at him leisurely: "You can guess yourself! Aren't you very capable? Weren't you able to break in here? Go find them yourself!"

Lu Qi pressed his blade to the guard's throat: "You dare lie to me?"

The guard, however, looked astonished: "Isn't she the Princess Consort Ning? She's the only woman held in solitary confinement!"

Xiao Ran grew anxious: "Time's running out! Don't waste words on her—hurry up and find someone!"

Fang Qingyan gritted her teeth: "Find someone? Dream on!"

She sprang from the bed, rushed to the door, and shouted with all her strength: "Help! Someone's broken in! Help!"

Xiao Er's face grim, he swiftly drew his dagger and stabbed it into her chest.

Xiao Ningxun turned and shielded Tuan Tuan.

Fang Qingyan collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, then fell silent.

Xiao Ningxun glanced at the corpse on the floor, then lifted his gaze to the thinning smoke outside; the guards' footsteps and choking coughs were clearly audible, obviously drawing nearer.

Withdraw? Mother and elder brother still haven't been found, and tomorrow is the execution day!

If we don't withdraw, once the smoke clears, there are so many guards outside—how long can our eight or nine of us hold out?

Xiao Ran, anxious to the point of jumping, shouted: "Don't just stand there! Let's split up and kick open each room—we're bound to find them!"

"Too late!" Xiao Er quickly interjected, "This old barracks isn't small—there are dozens of rooms. By the time we finish searching them one by one, Qing Wang's large force will have already surrounded this place like an iron barrel."

Tuan Tuan lifted her head to look at them, "No way! I must find Mother and Elder Brother!"

She broke free of Xiao Ningxun's embrace, rushed to the door, and hefted the large lock that had just fallen to the ground.

Seeing this, everyone hurriedly gave chase.

Tuan Tuan shouted loudly: "Open every door! Tell me where Mother and Elder Brother are!"

She let go, and the large lock fell toward the ground.

A faint light flashed, and the large lock vanished.

The next moment.

"Clang!"

"Click!"

"Squeak—!"

In all directions, the wooden and iron doors of the barracks, storehouses, and even privies emitted all kinds of strange noises!

The bolts slid down on their own, the lock heads burst apart!

Dozens of doors, as if shoved simultaneously by an invisible giant hand, burst open!

Xiao Ran's mouth fell open.

Xiao Er's grip on his blade tightened suddenly.

Even the guard who had lost a finger forgot the pain, staring blankly at this unbelievable sight.

Xiao Ningxun leapt onto the roof and scanned the surroundings.

Among all the doors, only a low, inconspicuous wooden door stood out.

It didn't stop, but opened and closed repeatedly in an eerie rhythm.

Xiao Ningxun pointed a finger: "Over there!"

He jumped down from the roof and sprinted toward that door!

Xiao Er scooped up Tuan Tuan, and everyone followed at full speed.

Lu Qi was the first to rush in, seeing in the corner two people bound at wrists and feet, their heads lifted in terror.

It was Cheng Ru'an and Xiao Ningyuan!

"Mother! Elder Brother!"

Xiao Ningxun rushed over, drew the dagger from his boot, and together with Lu Qi swiftly cut the ropes, helping the two to their feet.

Tuan Tuan happily shouted: "Mother! Elder Brother!"

Cheng Ru'an's face was ashen, Xiao Ningyuan's steps unsteady.

"Tuan Tuan! Third Brother (Xun Er)!"

Xiao Ningxun, anxious as fire: "Hurry! Withdraw!"

The guards hoisted the weak Cheng Ru'an, Lu Qi carried the staggering Xiao Ningyuan, and everyone burst out the door, sprinting wildly toward the rear courtyard where the Turbid Water Ditch lay.

The smoke that had lingered over the barracks for a long time finally dissipated completely.

The many prisoners being held surged out in terror, screaming and running wildly in all directions.

"Catch them!"

"So many people, how can we catch them!"

In the panic, someone brandishing a knife pointed and shouted, "Ignore them! Over there! Hurry and see Princess Consort Ning!"

The guards drew their swords, cold glints merging into a sheet like a drawn fishing net, and viciously lunged toward Xiao Ningxun and his party!

The nearest guard shouted, "Here! Come quickly! Grab them!"

Qing Wang has said that anyone who comes to rescue, alive or dead, will be credited with a great merit! Their rank will rise three grades!

"Kill—"

The guards surged forward, each trying to get ahead of the other.

Xiao Ningxun held the Dagger horizontally across his chest and said, "Run! Send Tuan Tuan and the others out!"

He turned to face the guards about to charge at him, ready to fight for his life!

Suddenly, the guard at the front staggered in his step.

He ran with all his might, roaring, swinging his steel blade, yet he spun bizarrely in place, unable to break through the short, less‑than‑ten‑step gap.

Not only him.

All the guards converging from all directions seemed to have crashed into an invisible, massive Lost Soul Formation, and none could get any closer.

"Right there!"

"Grab them!"

They lunged forward desperately, but no matter how hard they pushed, they only spun in place.

Many even staggered, colliding with each other in a dizzy whirl.

"What's happening?"

"Why does this road never end?"

"Run fast!"

"Nonsense! We can't get out!"

The thunderous shouts of battle moments ago now turned into terrified screams.

Xiao Ningxun froze for a moment, as the pursuing soldiers before him seemed separated by an insurmountable heavenly trench.

He had no time to think, turned and shouted, "Go—!"

The group rushed toward the side of the foul water ditch, where Lao Jiang and several guards had been waiting for a long time.

"Quick! Contain the medicine! Wrap it with oilcloth!"

Xiao Ningxun first fed Tuan Tuan a pill, then placed the last one into his mouth; Xiao Ran hurriedly wrapped Tuan Tuan tightly with oilcloth.

Without hesitation, everyone leapt into the foul‑smelling ditch.

Emerging at the junction of the ditch and the river channel, Xiao Ningxun turned back and pointed at the stone slabs.

Lu Qi and Xiao Er understood instantly and tipped all the stone slabs over.

The heavy stone slabs crashed down with a roar, completely sealing and burying the junction.

The group sprinted out of the river channel, and the first ray of dawn appeared on the horizon.

Guoshi Residence.

Books filled the four walls, and the celestial star map inlaid with silver sand on the floor shimmered with a cold light.

Chu Yuan sat cross‑legged on a meditation cushion at the center of the star map, his eyes half‑closed.

In front of him lay three ancient turtle shells, slowly rotating and arranged into a mysterious Formation.

Faint light flowed over the three shells, outlining the shape of a barracks.

Within the outline, hundreds of tiny red dots spun continuously.

Chu Yuan bit the tip of his right index finger, letting bright red blood drip onto the barracks outline.

Tomorrow is the day the Ning Prince's Mansion family will carry out executions; tonight is the final chance.

Tuan Tuan, I, your master, know you will come.

These days the warning gongs that keep sounding through Jingcheng at night must be your doing.

If the gongs can still sound tonight, it is already the last chance.

He stared intently at the Formation before him, his lips barely moving as he silently recited the obscure incantation.

Raising his hand, his fingertips lightly brushed the position of the "Life Gate" within the Formation.

He watched as the faint light on the Life Gate gradually dimmed and vanished.

With a light "snap", the three turtle shells all cracked open, and the light fully withdrew.

The starlight inside remained, silent and still, as if nothing had happened.

Chu Yuan's face was pale, his expression weary.

Outside the window, the distant clanging of the fifth watch could be heard faintly, long and clear.

He exhaled a breath of foul air slowly, murmuring, "Tuan Tuan, I, your master, can only help up to here; may you return safely to Xibei."

Meanwhile, in a residence in Jingcheng.

A blood‑red Gu Worm placed in a black wooden box twitched uneasily.

A hand gently closed the lid, saying, "Xiao Yuanhang, just as you said while playing against Gongsun Chi, without reaching the final move one should not speak of victory or defeat."