Chapter 56: The Cage
In the darkness, Jiang Hong groped around.
After being dragged into the ley line, Dark Lu Xiu disappeared suddenly. A blinding blue light flashed, and then an endless blackness unfolded before Jiang Hong, who was thrown solidly onto the ground, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
I’m not dead, thank goodness! It seems that imposter Chen Zhen doesn’t plan to kill me, at least not yet.
Jiang Hong found iron chains on the ground, but they weren’t attached to him.
He carefully walked forward and soon encountered an iron fence—it was a cage. Are they still using such primitive methods of imprisonment? Jiang Hong wondered.
"Is anyone there?" Jiang Hong needed to confirm whether he was the only one trapped here. His scales had been confiscated, and he couldn’t contact Lu Xiu. How could he inform him about this?
"Hey! Is anyone there?!" Jiang Hong shouted.
"Stop yelling," a weak voice replied, "you can't get out."
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
Someone else is here! A prisoner, like himself, deceived and confined?
"Are you human?" Jiang Hong turned his head left and right, searching for the source of the voice, then bumped into a wall.
He felt around the wall, sensing an irregular shape. Was this a small cave?
"Are you an exorcist?" Jiang Hong recognized that the voice was coming from the adjacent cell. Unable to see through the rock, he asked, "What’s your name?"
The neighbor didn’t respond anymore. Jiang Hong moved closer to the iron bars, and at that moment, he saw a faint light. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the underground, looking out of his cell, he discovered—
—he was in a narrow cell, shrouded in darkness, with the sound of chains nearby, and people! There were living people!
A dim light faintly appeared.
The light Jiang Hong saw, coming from the opposite diagonal, was like a very weak source of light in the night sky, pulsating slowly, like the heart of someone on the brink of death.
A voice from nearby whispered, "Keep it down."
It was a man’s voice. Jiang Hong strained to peer through the bars, looking out. Around him were cells holding prisoners.
"Who are you?" Jiang Hong couldn’t see the man's face clearly, only his silhouette in the darkness.
"Who are you?" the man retorted, not answering but asking back.
"My name is Jiang Hong," Jiang Hong replied. "Are you an exorcist?"
The man asked, "Are you an exorcist?"
Jiang Hong: "Are you a parrot?"
The man: "......"
The tired female voice nearby said, "It's already this late, no need to be on guard anymore."
"What if they sent him to fish for information?" the man said uneasily.
Jiang Hong said, "I was captured! I'm a student at Cangqiong University."
The man said, "My name is Chen Shun, I'm the head of the Xi'an Exorcism Committee's duty team..."
Jiang Hong said, "Oh Chen Shun, that name sounds... wait, Chen Shun!"
Jiang Hong immediately looked up, trying to recognize the man's face. He noticed that there were no bars in the cell opposite. No... in all the surrounding cells, only his own was barred, the others had no obstructions.
"You're Chen Shun?!" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered the demon extermination in Xi'an last year, when they went deep into the earth's veins, that fitness coach!
"You know me?" Chen Shun asked in surprise.
Jiang Hong said, "Haven't we met before? No... I get it now! I've seen your clone!"
"Clone?" the woman exclaimed in surprise, followed by the clinking of chains. She seemed to struggle to lean over, peeking out from the cell on the left to meet Jiang Hong's gaze. In that moment of eye contact...
"Teacher Zhu Jinling?" Jiang Hong's voice trembled, no wonder the other's tone sounded so familiar! But her voice was hoarse, making him unable to recognize her immediately.
"You know me?" The woman was indeed Zhu Jinling.
"You..." Jiang Hong felt a chill down his spine. If this person was Zhu Jinling, then who was the teacher at school? How many people have been unknowingly replaced by the Deceptive Spirit?!
"Teacher," Jiang Hong shivered as he spoke, "When were you captured and brought here?"
"Teacher?" Zhu Jinling, with her hands suspended high and chained within the cell, replied, "I'm not a teacher."
"How many years have you been captured here?" asked Jiang Hong.
Zhu Jinling spoke softly, "In this dungeon, unaware of the passing of days and months, it must have been at least a dozen years."
Chen Shun said, "I guess I was captured about half a year ago. What's happening outside? Why haven't my colleagues come to find me? Is the Exorcism Committee still okay?"
Now it made sense... Jiang Hong realized that they were unaware of the existence of clones and, having been confined in the underground caverns for so long, had lost all sense of time.
"Jiang Hong!" Not far across diagonally, someone faintly heard Jiang Hong's voice, "Is that you, Jiang Hong?! Junior, is it you?"
"It's me!" Jiang Hong immediately responded, "Who are you?"
It was a young girl's voice, vaguely familiar. In a cell a few caves away, someone tried to lean forward.
"I'm Yang Feiyao!" the girl said anxiously, "Do you remember me? The one who asked you out for late-night snacks last time in Xi'an..."
Jiang Hong was stunned, recalling the conspiracy he had overheard between Yang Feiyao and Chen Shun underground that day. The inconsistency in Yang Feiyao's reactions now made sense!
"How are things outside now?" Yang Feiyao asked, "Is everything okay in Beijing?!"
The exorcists confined here initially believed they had just gone missing and that their organization would surely send someone to search for them. They hoped a colleague would eventually come to their rescue, but as time dragged on, their confidence was slowly eroded by the endless waiting.
Jiang Hong said, "Lu Xiu will definitely come looking for me."
However, Jiang Hong suddenly thought of a dangerous possibility. What if he had been cloned too? He had been unconscious for a while, and if the Deceptive Spirit had cloned him, and if Lu Xiu couldn't recognize him... No, Lu Xiu would definitely be able to recognize him. He believed that just as he could recognize Lu Xiu, Lu Xiu would surely recognize him!
Yang Feiyao asked again, "Has the Exorcism Committee searched for our whereabouts?"
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "Explaining this issue is really complicated. First, I need to figure out exactly where we are."
He was unsure whether to tell Yang Feiyao, Zhu Jinling, and others about their “clones” who were blatantly masquerading in their place, taking over their existence in the outside world. The thought itself was terrifying.
But having been locked up for so long, hadn’t these exorcists deduced any details? Maybe they didn’t know each other in their usual lives?
Yang Feiyao said anxiously, "My last memory outside was being on a mission with Chen Shun. But the real Chen Shun is here. At first, I thought someone was impersonating him using disguise techniques, but what are these clones you mentioned?"
Jiang Hong signaled for her to wait, pulled his head back in, and whispered, "Teacher Zhu?"
He called her several times before Zhu Jinling realized Jiang Hong was addressing her, and she asked, "What is it?"
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you use your magic powers?"
"No," said Chen Shun, "These chains are connected to a spell formation, which is draining our magic powers."
"Our cell might be just one among many," Zhu Jinling said. "The chains lead to a central spell formation, which in turn is anchored by the earth's energy veins. All our magic is useless. The moment you try to use it, the energy is immediately drawn away."
Yang Feiyao called out softly from the other side, "Jiang Hong, Jiang Hong!"
"Yes!" Jiang Hong replied, "Senior sister! Hold on! I'm trying to think of a solution!"
"Do you have any special way of contacting Senior Lu Xiu?" asked Yang Feiyao.
Jiang Hong was at his wit's end. The only way he could summon Lu Xiu was with that scale, but it had been confiscated by Chen Zhen of the Dark Faction. He hadn't even seen clearly how he was brought to this place, nor did he know how to return to that building.
"Why am I the only one without chains, just a cage?" Jiang Hong said. "Do they look down on me that much? Not even bothering to chain me?"
"Can you use a ground shrinking technique?" Chen Shun suggested, "Try using it?"
Zhu Jinling said, "Maybe it's because you're a student, with weaker magical powers."
Jiang Hong said, "It's not just weak magic; I have no magic at all."
Another person on the side had awoken, a man named Huo Ran, who was in his thirties.
"Try to see if you can squeeze out?" Huo Ran suggested, "If your head can get through, your body can too."
Jiang Hong said, "Won't I get stuck? Wait, you've all been here, some for four to five years, some for half a year, without eating. Don't you starve to death?"
Chen Shun said, "The chains binding us are directly connected to the earth's energy veins, keeping us from starving to death."
Jiang Hong tried to stick his head through the gaps in the bars, then asked, "But what about bathroom needs?"
"Stop asking!" everyone urged, "Hurry up and think of a way out!"
Jiang Hong was the only one not bound by chains. The nearby exorcists regained their senses, realizing he might be their savior.
"So, without chains to bind me," Jiang Hong, with his nose already pressed against the bars, continued, "Does that mean I'll starve to death?"
Yang Feiyao, watching worriedly from another cave, said, "Junior, be careful not to get stuck."
Jiang Hong said, "My head isn't very big... I should be fine."
Zhu Jinling said, "Don't rush, take it slowly, Jiang Hong."
Half a minute later, Jiang Hong went silent.
As everyone looked at their only hope, Jiang Hong said, "I... I'm stuck."
"Back out first," Chen Shun said, "If your head can go in, it can come out. It won't get stuck."
"I can't believe this!" Jiang Hong struggled, pushing in and then trying to pull out, feeling like Zhang Wuji who got stuck in a cave.
"Try a different angle!" someone else suggested, "Young man, are you trying to escape? Why aren't you chained?"
The exorcists slowly came to their senses. The long-term draining of their magic had left them drowsy, but Jiang Hong's arrival was like throwing a desperately flapping fish into stagnant water, reviving everyone a bit.
Jiang Hong was still stuck, saying, "I'm doomed, I shouldn't have tried. Wait, I've got it."
With his head through but his body stuck, Jiang Hong thought of a solution.
"I'll go hungry for a while," Jiang Hong said, "then I should be able to squeeze through."
There was a collective silence, and then Jiang Hong added, "I ate too much in Guangzhou, but it's okay, I'm already feeling hungry. I'll try again in a few hours."
"You're going through a lot, kid," Zhu Jinling sighed.
Chen Shun said, "But what good will it do if he gets out? He's a mortal and can't break the spells here. He might even attract enemies and endanger himself."
Jiang Hong said, "It's okay, I'll be very careful."
"Young man," the one named Huo Ran asked, "can you tell us what's happening outside?"
Jiang Hong briefly explained the situation and his deductions. It was a shocking revelation for all the imprisoned exorcists, who found it hard to believe. They interrupted Jiang Hong with anxious questions, prompting more inquiries, leaving him momentarily unsure how to respond.
From start to finish, Jiang Hong tried to keep his explanations concise, but it still took nearly two hours.
Only Zhu Jinling listened in silence.
"Madness!" Chen Shun exclaimed, "The world has gone mad! This is the Exorcism Committee! How could this happen? How?"
Yang Feiyao also found it unbelievable. Finally, everything was explained: why no one had come to rescue her, and why the exorcists didn't even know she had been captured!
"Teacher Huo," Zhu Jinling suddenly said as Jiang Hong mentioned his arrival in Guangzhou, "This aligns with all the details, including why Chen Shun never had any memory of going to the depths of the earth's veins with Feiyao."
"Hmm," Huo Ran was not only calm instead of frustrated, "Even Chen Zhen has been replicated. It's just unclear whether the Heart Lamp, a magical artifact connected to the person, would also be replicated."
Zhu Jinling said, "It's unlikely, as the Heart Lamp is directly linked to this world."
Jiang Hong, still stuck in the iron bars, said, "But that fake Lu Xiu is just as powerful as the real Lu Xiu!"
Huo Ran asked, "What kind of methods did they use to create such a perfect projection of a complete being?"
No one spoke. Compared to the other two younger exorcists, Zhu Jinling and Huo Ran were much more composed and calm. Chen Shun kept sighing on the side, while Yang Feiyao remained silent.
"Are there only the five of us here?" Jiang Hong was still trying to free his head.
Neither Zhu Jinling nor Huo Ran answered.
Jiang Hong had been stuck for nearly three hours now, his stomach growling with hunger, he started to squeeze harder, first pushing back, then forcing himself forward.
Huo Ran said, "Young man, forgive me for being blunt, but given the current situation, you might not need to think about getting out."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "Why? Is someone about to come and rescue us?"
Zhu Jinling said calmly, "Knowing so many secrets, the enemy won't leave you any chance to escape. If you manage to leave, the Deceptive Spirit's greatest advantage would be lost."
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
"Oh no!" Jiang Hong suddenly realized this, saying, "I don't want to be locked up here forever! Ah? Eh?"
In his frenzy, Jiang Hong's shoulders came through the bars, followed by the rest of his body squeezing through.
Jiang Hong: "I'm out!"
Everyone: "......"
Jiang Hong: "Great! I did it!"
The clinking of chains echoed around, and the exorcists all sat up. As Jiang Hong was about to snap his fingers to create a flame, Zhu Jinling immediately reminded him, "Don't use any magic, remember that."
Huo Ran said, "The moment you activate any magic, the chains in the cave will entangle you."
"Oh, okay." Jiang Hong, now the only person in the cell who could move freely, said, "I'll check the surroundings, everyone wait a moment."
The faint glow from the chains provided limited illumination for the cell. Jiang Hong walked around and found the cell could only hold six people; it was quite cramped and surrounded by granite walls. It seemed like a hollow bubble inside a mountain, with no visible signs of a door or any filled-in openings.
"Teacher Zhu," Jiang Hong started checking on the exorcists, whispering, "Are you okay?"
Jiang Hong kneeled on one knee and pulled Zhu Jinling's hand.
Zhu Jinling was the one he was most familiar with and fond of. Even though the instructor who taught him world exploration had been replaced by the Deceptive Spirit without anyone noticing five years ago, Jiang Hong still felt a sense of familiarity when facing Zhu Jinling.
"Thank you, Jiang Hong," Zhu Jinling responded, her grip gentle yet strong, saying, "I'm managing."
"Teacher Zhu," Huo Ran said, "He has to find a way out without using magic or any magical artifacts, but it seems like there's little hope for now."
Zhu Jinling replied, "The cell where we are imprisoned must be some kind of spatial magic, only openable from the outside."
Jiang Hong checked on everyone. Huo Ran was a dignified middle-aged man, looking close to forty. Chen Shun and Yang Feiyao were almost as he remembered them. He tried to hold Chen Shun's hand, but Chen struggled to stand and hugged him instead. In that moment, Chen actually cried.
Jiang Hong patted his back to comfort him and then went to see Yang Feiyao.
Yang Feiyao, who seemed to have just cried, now sat silently, reaching out to touch Jiang Hong's head in encouragement.
"We need a tool to pry open these chains," Jiang Hong thought aloud.
He held the chain that was around Yang Feiyao's neck in his hands, trying to pull it apart. It was light but very sturdy, with each link square-shaped and covered in numerous runes.
"It's okay," Yang Feiyao said, "just leave it be."
Jiang Hong searched for tools, while Huo Ran added, "Young man, take a break for now, you must be exhausted."
Chapter 56: The Cage
In the darkness, Jiang Hong groped around.
After being dragged into the ley line, Dark Lu Xiu disappeared suddenly. A blinding blue light flashed, and then an endless blackness unfolded before Jiang Hong, who was thrown solidly onto the ground, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
I’m not dead, thank goodness! It seems that imposter Chen Zhen doesn’t plan to kill me, at least not yet.
Jiang Hong found iron chains on the ground, but they weren’t attached to him.
He carefully walked forward and soon encountered an iron fence—it was a cage. Are they still using such primitive methods of imprisonment? Jiang Hong wondered.
"Is anyone there?" Jiang Hong needed to confirm whether he was the only one trapped here. His scales had been confiscated, and he couldn’t contact Lu Xiu. How could he inform him about this?
"Hey! Is anyone there?!" Jiang Hong shouted.
"Stop yelling," a weak voice replied, "you can't get out."
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
Someone else is here! A prisoner, like himself, deceived and confined?
"Are you human?" Jiang Hong turned his head left and right, searching for the source of the voice, then bumped into a wall.
He felt around the wall, sensing an irregular shape. Was this a small cave?
"Are you an exorcist?" Jiang Hong recognized that the voice was coming from the adjacent cell. Unable to see through the rock, he asked, "What’s your name?"
The neighbor didn’t respond anymore. Jiang Hong moved closer to the iron bars, and at that moment, he saw a faint light. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the underground, looking out of his cell, he discovered—
—he was in a narrow cell, shrouded in darkness, with the sound of chains nearby, and people! There were living people!
A dim light faintly appeared.
The light Jiang Hong saw, coming from the opposite diagonal, was like a very weak source of light in the night sky, pulsating slowly, like the heart of someone on the brink of death.
A voice from nearby whispered, "Keep it down."
It was a man’s voice. Jiang Hong strained to peer through the bars, looking out. Around him were cells holding prisoners.
"Who are you?" Jiang Hong couldn’t see the man's face clearly, only his silhouette in the darkness.
"Who are you?" the man retorted, not answering but asking back.
"My name is Jiang Hong," Jiang Hong replied. "Are you an exorcist?"
The man asked, "Are you an exorcist?"
Jiang Hong: "Are you a parrot?"
The man: "......"
The tired female voice nearby said, "It's already this late, no need to be on guard anymore."
"What if they sent him to fish for information?" the man said uneasily.
Jiang Hong said, "I was captured! I'm a student at Cangqiong University."
The man said, "My name is Chen Shun, I'm the head of the Xi'an Exorcism Committee's duty team..."
Jiang Hong said, "Oh Chen Shun, that name sounds... wait, Chen Shun!"
Jiang Hong immediately looked up, trying to recognize the man's face. He noticed that there were no bars in the cell opposite. No... in all the surrounding cells, only his own was barred, the others had no obstructions.
"You're Chen Shun?!" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered the demon extermination in Xi'an last year, when they went deep into the earth's veins, that fitness coach!
"You know me?" Chen Shun asked in surprise.
Jiang Hong said, "Haven't we met before? No... I get it now! I've seen your clone!"
"Clone?" the woman exclaimed in surprise, followed by the clinking of chains. She seemed to struggle to lean over, peeking out from the cell on the left to meet Jiang Hong's gaze. In that moment of eye contact...
"Teacher Zhu Jinling?" Jiang Hong's voice trembled, no wonder the other's tone sounded so familiar! But her voice was hoarse, making him unable to recognize her immediately.
"You know me?" The woman was indeed Zhu Jinling.
"You..." Jiang Hong felt a chill down his spine. If this person was Zhu Jinling, then who was the teacher at school? How many people have been unknowingly replaced by the Deceptive Spirit?!
"Teacher," Jiang Hong shivered as he spoke, "When were you captured and brought here?"
"Teacher?" Zhu Jinling, with her hands suspended high and chained within the cell, replied, "I'm not a teacher."
"How many years have you been captured here?" asked Jiang Hong.
Zhu Jinling spoke softly, "In this dungeon, unaware of the passing of days and months, it must have been at least a dozen years."
Chen Shun said, "I guess I was captured about half a year ago. What's happening outside? Why haven't my colleagues come to find me? Is the Exorcism Committee still okay?"
Now it made sense... Jiang Hong realized that they were unaware of the existence of clones and, having been confined in the underground caverns for so long, had lost all sense of time.
"Jiang Hong!" Not far across diagonally, someone faintly heard Jiang Hong's voice, "Is that you, Jiang Hong?! Junior, is it you?"
"It's me!" Jiang Hong immediately responded, "Who are you?"
It was a young girl's voice, vaguely familiar. In a cell a few caves away, someone tried to lean forward.
"I'm Yang Feiyao!" the girl said anxiously, "Do you remember me? The one who asked you out for late-night snacks last time in Xi'an..."
Jiang Hong was stunned, recalling the conspiracy he had overheard between Yang Feiyao and Chen Shun underground that day. The inconsistency in Yang Feiyao's reactions now made sense!
"How are things outside now?" Yang Feiyao asked, "Is everything okay in Beijing?!"
The exorcists confined here initially believed they had just gone missing and that their organization would surely send someone to search for them. They hoped a colleague would eventually come to their rescue, but as time dragged on, their confidence was slowly eroded by the endless waiting.
Jiang Hong said, "Lu Xiu will definitely come looking for me."
However, Jiang Hong suddenly thought of a dangerous possibility. What if he had been cloned too? He had been unconscious for a while, and if the Deceptive Spirit had cloned him, and if Lu Xiu couldn't recognize him... No, Lu Xiu would definitely be able to recognize him. He believed that just as he could recognize Lu Xiu, Lu Xiu would surely recognize him!
Yang Feiyao asked again, "Has the Exorcism Committee searched for our whereabouts?"
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "Explaining this issue is really complicated. First, I need to figure out exactly where we are."
He was unsure whether to tell Yang Feiyao, Zhu Jinling, and others about their “clones” who were blatantly masquerading in their place, taking over their existence in the outside world. The thought itself was terrifying.
But having been locked up for so long, hadn’t these exorcists deduced any details? Maybe they didn’t know each other in their usual lives?
Yang Feiyao said anxiously, "My last memory outside was being on a mission with Chen Shun. But the real Chen Shun is here. At first, I thought someone was impersonating him using disguise techniques, but what are these clones you mentioned?"
Jiang Hong signaled for her to wait, pulled his head back in, and whispered, "Teacher Zhu?"
He called her several times before Zhu Jinling realized Jiang Hong was addressing her, and she asked, "What is it?"
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you use your magic powers?"
"No," said Chen Shun, "These chains are connected to a spell formation, which is draining our magic powers."
"Our cell might be just one among many," Zhu Jinling said. "The chains lead to a central spell formation, which in turn is anchored by the earth's energy veins. All our magic is useless. The moment you try to use it, the energy is immediately drawn away."
Yang Feiyao called out softly from the other side, "Jiang Hong, Jiang Hong!"
"Yes!" Jiang Hong replied, "Senior sister! Hold on! I'm trying to think of a solution!"
"Do you have any special way of contacting Senior Lu Xiu?" asked Yang Feiyao.
Jiang Hong was at his wit's end. The only way he could summon Lu Xiu was with that scale, but it had been confiscated by Chen Zhen of the Dark Faction. He hadn't even seen clearly how he was brought to this place, nor did he know how to return to that building.
"Why am I the only one without chains, just a cage?" Jiang Hong said. "Do they look down on me that much? Not even bothering to chain me?"
"Can you use a ground shrinking technique?" Chen Shun suggested, "Try using it?"
Zhu Jinling said, "Maybe it's because you're a student, with weaker magical powers."
Jiang Hong said, "It's not just weak magic; I have no magic at all."
Another person on the side had awoken, a man named Huo Ran, who was in his thirties.
"Try to see if you can squeeze out?" Huo Ran suggested, "If your head can get through, your body can too."
Jiang Hong said, "Won't I get stuck? Wait, you've all been here, some for four to five years, some for half a year, without eating. Don't you starve to death?"
Chen Shun said, "The chains binding us are directly connected to the earth's energy veins, keeping us from starving to death."
Jiang Hong tried to stick his head through the gaps in the bars, then asked, "But what about bathroom needs?"
"Stop asking!" everyone urged, "Hurry up and think of a way out!"
Jiang Hong was the only one not bound by chains. The nearby exorcists regained their senses, realizing he might be their savior.
"So, without chains to bind me," Jiang Hong, with his nose already pressed against the bars, continued, "Does that mean I'll starve to death?"
Yang Feiyao, watching worriedly from another cave, said, "Junior, be careful not to get stuck."
Jiang Hong said, "My head isn't very big... I should be fine."
Zhu Jinling said, "Don't rush, take it slowly, Jiang Hong."
Half a minute later, Jiang Hong went silent.
As everyone looked at their only hope, Jiang Hong said, "I... I'm stuck."
"Back out first," Chen Shun said, "If your head can go in, it can come out. It won't get stuck."
"I can't believe this!" Jiang Hong struggled, pushing in and then trying to pull out, feeling like Zhang Wuji who got stuck in a cave.
"Try a different angle!" someone else suggested, "Young man, are you trying to escape? Why aren't you chained?"
The exorcists slowly came to their senses. The long-term draining of their magic had left them drowsy, but Jiang Hong's arrival was like throwing a desperately flapping fish into stagnant water, reviving everyone a bit.
Jiang Hong was still stuck, saying, "I'm doomed, I shouldn't have tried. Wait, I've got it."
With his head through but his body stuck, Jiang Hong thought of a solution.
"I'll go hungry for a while," Jiang Hong said, "then I should be able to squeeze through."
There was a collective silence, and then Jiang Hong added, "I ate too much in Guangzhou, but it's okay, I'm already feeling hungry. I'll try again in a few hours."
"You're going through a lot, kid," Zhu Jinling sighed.
Chen Shun said, "But what good will it do if he gets out? He's a mortal and can't break the spells here. He might even attract enemies and endanger himself."
Jiang Hong said, "It's okay, I'll be very careful."
"Young man," the one named Huo Ran asked, "can you tell us what's happening outside?"
Jiang Hong briefly explained the situation and his deductions. It was a shocking revelation for all the imprisoned exorcists, who found it hard to believe. They interrupted Jiang Hong with anxious questions, prompting more inquiries, leaving him momentarily unsure how to respond.
From start to finish, Jiang Hong tried to keep his explanations concise, but it still took nearly two hours.
Only Zhu Jinling listened in silence.
"Madness!" Chen Shun exclaimed, "The world has gone mad! This is the Exorcism Committee! How could this happen? How?"
Yang Feiyao also found it unbelievable. Finally, everything was explained: why no one had come to rescue her, and why the exorcists didn't even know she had been captured!
"Teacher Huo," Zhu Jinling suddenly said as Jiang Hong mentioned his arrival in Guangzhou, "This aligns with all the details, including why Chen Shun never had any memory of going to the depths of the earth's veins with Feiyao."
"Hmm," Huo Ran was not only calm instead of frustrated, "Even Chen Zhen has been replicated. It's just unclear whether the Heart Lamp, a magical artifact connected to the person, would also be replicated."
Zhu Jinling said, "It's unlikely, as the Heart Lamp is directly linked to this world."
Jiang Hong, still stuck in the iron bars, said, "But that fake Lu Xiu is just as powerful as the real Lu Xiu!"
Huo Ran asked, "What kind of methods did they use to create such a perfect projection of a complete being?"
No one spoke. Compared to the other two younger exorcists, Zhu Jinling and Huo Ran were much more composed and calm. Chen Shun kept sighing on the side, while Yang Feiyao remained silent.
"Are there only the five of us here?" Jiang Hong was still trying to free his head.
Neither Zhu Jinling nor Huo Ran answered.
Jiang Hong had been stuck for nearly three hours now, his stomach growling with hunger, he started to squeeze harder, first pushing back, then forcing himself forward.
Huo Ran said, "Young man, forgive me for being blunt, but given the current situation, you might not need to think about getting out."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "Why? Is someone about to come and rescue us?"
Zhu Jinling said calmly, "Knowing so many secrets, the enemy won't leave you any chance to escape. If you manage to leave, the Deceptive Spirit's greatest advantage would be lost."
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
"Oh no!" Jiang Hong suddenly realized this, saying, "I don't want to be locked up here forever! Ah? Eh?"
In his frenzy, Jiang Hong's shoulders came through the bars, followed by the rest of his body squeezing through.
Jiang Hong: "I'm out!"
Everyone: "......"
Jiang Hong: "Great! I did it!"
The clinking of chains echoed around, and the exorcists all sat up. As Jiang Hong was about to snap his fingers to create a flame, Zhu Jinling immediately reminded him, "Don't use any magic, remember that."
Huo Ran said, "The moment you activate any magic, the chains in the cave will entangle you."
"Oh, okay." Jiang Hong, now the only person in the cell who could move freely, said, "I'll check the surroundings, everyone wait a moment."
The faint glow from the chains provided limited illumination for the cell. Jiang Hong walked around and found the cell could only hold six people; it was quite cramped and surrounded by granite walls. It seemed like a hollow bubble inside a mountain, with no visible signs of a door or any filled-in openings.
"Teacher Zhu," Jiang Hong started checking on the exorcists, whispering, "Are you okay?"
Jiang Hong kneeled on one knee and pulled Zhu Jinling's hand.
Zhu Jinling was the one he was most familiar with and fond of. Even though the instructor who taught him world exploration had been replaced by the Deceptive Spirit without anyone noticing five years ago, Jiang Hong still felt a sense of familiarity when facing Zhu Jinling.
"Thank you, Jiang Hong," Zhu Jinling responded, her grip gentle yet strong, saying, "I'm managing."
"Teacher Zhu," Huo Ran said, "He has to find a way out without using magic or any magical artifacts, but it seems like there's little hope for now."
Zhu Jinling replied, "The cell where we are imprisoned must be some kind of spatial magic, only openable from the outside."
Jiang Hong checked on everyone. Huo Ran was a dignified middle-aged man, looking close to forty. Chen Shun and Yang Feiyao were almost as he remembered them. He tried to hold Chen Shun's hand, but Chen struggled to stand and hugged him instead. In that moment, Chen actually cried.
Jiang Hong patted his back to comfort him and then went to see Yang Feiyao.
Yang Feiyao, who seemed to have just cried, now sat silently, reaching out to touch Jiang Hong's head in encouragement.
"We need a tool to pry open these chains," Jiang Hong thought aloud.
He held the chain that was around Yang Feiyao's neck in his hands, trying to pull it apart. It was light but very sturdy, with each link square-shaped and covered in numerous runes.
"It's okay," Yang Feiyao said, "just leave it be."
Jiang Hong searched for tools, while Huo Ran added, "Young man, take a break for now, you must be exhausted."
