Chapter 4: Light in the Eyes

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Suddenly!
Yang Zhan suddenly thought of something, growing excited as he pointed to the wall. “What did you just say? Did you recall something?”
Bi Lian shook her head. “No.”
“Then how did you know that was a cultivation method and that it would be useful to me?”
Bi Lian stood up, the iron chains clinking loudly.
She walked over to the nameless cultivation method inscribed there and pointed at a spot. “Look!”
Then she pointed to another.
“Look carefully!”
Yang Zhan focused intently.
Bi Lian continued pointing out several positions.
At first, Yang Zhan was confused, but the more he looked, the more astonished he became.
It turned out the key was not the text itself, but the pattern formed by the characters!
He had always wondered why the characters weren’t arranged line by line but scattered seemingly at random.
Now, ignoring the literal meaning, he looked again.
Damn!
Wasn’t this simply a special diagram of blood energy circulation?
So simple—yet before, he had fixated on the content of the characters themselves.
Glancing at the seemingly mad Bi Lian, Yang Zhan suddenly recalled a saying:
Those with pure hearts see the world simply, and indeed, the world can be simple.
It’s just that most people make it complicated themselves!
Yang Zhan studied the blood energy circulation diagram, while Bi Lian, her tangled hair veiling her eyes and face, watched him closely.
The underground prison cell was unusually quiet.
Neither moved a muscle.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Yang Zhan awoke from meditation, his heart pounding.
He realized this blood energy circulation diagram might very well help him break through his martial bottleneck.
Overjoyed, Yang Zhan smiled. “Bi Lian, what do you want to eat? I’ll bring it to you tomorrow.”
Bi Lian shook her head. “I don’t know what I want.”
Yang Zhan chuckled. “Then I’ll decide for you.”
Bi Lian nodded.
Yang Zhan climbed the steps upward.
He felt Bi Lian’s gaze following him, though her hair obscured her eyes and face.
After a few steps, he glanced back. “Is there something you want to say to me?”
Bi Lian shook her head, simply looking at him.
After leaving the underground cell, Yang Zhan resealed the stone slab.
The prison door kept rattling, and outside, Lao Liu’s voice could still be heard shouting.

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“Second Master, Second Master…”
“What is it?”
Yang Zhan opened the door.
“Second Master, you were sleeping so soundly—I’ve been calling for a long time.”
Yang Zhan stretched lazily. “What’s the urgency? Three women kidnapped?”
He stepped out but froze as he saw a woman standing there.
She wore a water-green dress, hands clasped over her abdomen.
She knelt before Yang Zhan, her voice soft and gentle: “Green Yang pays respects to Second Master.”
Yang Zhan glanced at Green Yang. “What’s the matter?”
“Second Master, His Highness the Crown Prince often speaks of your remarkable contributions to the empire. He greatly admires you. Upon learning you have remained unmarried and alone, he specially sent me to attend to your daily needs.”
Yang Zhan looked at Green Yang, impressed by her eloquence.
He smiled. “Miss Green Yang, you are a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince. To serve me, a mere prison chief, is beyond my authority.”
Green Yang frowned slightly. “How can you belittle yourself, Second Master? If not for your heroic efforts to turn the tide back then, who knows how many of our Great Xia’s people would have suffered under the barbarian army? Though you now serve as a lowly prison chief, both the Crown Prince and I believe you will rise to glory once more. Even I deeply admire you.”
She knelt again, bowing her head, cheeks flushed.
“Moreover, had it not been for you, I might have perished long ago. To serve you brings me great joy. Please do not disdain me.”
Yang Zhan couldn’t help but laugh; the Crown Prince’s attendant was truly silver-tongued.
But the Crown Prince sending someone here suggested there was more to the matter of the three female prisoners.
Yang Zhan looked at Green Yang. “What if I don’t intend to keep you?”
Bang!
Green Yang immediately fell to her knees, sobbing.
Damn!
This woman cried as if deeply wronged.
Choking back tears, Green Yang said, “If you despise me, Second Master, I shall remain kneeling forever.”
Lao Liu nearby remained calm; even fallen to this lowly prison chief, their master still deserved the respect of a Crown Prince’s lady-in-waiting.
Yang Zhan helped Green Yang up and smiled. “I didn’t expect the Crown Prince still remembers me. Many thanks to His Highness. Up you get.”
“Thank you, Second Master. I am truly delighted to serve you. Please command me as you will.”
Green Yang then asked, “Where do you reside, Second Master? I will clean your quarters and prepare some food.”
“Lao Liu, show Green Yang the way.”
“Yes!”
Lao Liu led Green Yang away.
Watching her retreating figure, Yang Zhan frowned. “Three years without a thought of the three female prisoners, yet the Crown Prince remembers me now. Unusual.”
He shook his head and swaggered off to patrol the prison.
The three female prisoners were held separately, unable to communicate.
Yang Zhan had arranged this carefully to prevent them from coordinating.
Finally, he came to Chen Lin’er’s cell.

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Inside, Chen Lin’er sat cross-legged, her expression calm.
Clad in prison garb, she still looked like a fairy. After over a decade of military campaigns, now she was reduced to guarding a dungeon.
Such talent was rare—definitely worth a longer glance.
Of course, it was mainly to lift his spirits and maintain his mental health.
Suddenly!
“Had enough looking?”
Chen Lin’er spoke with eyes still closed.
Yang Zhan smiled. “A beauty like you? I can never get enough.”
“You’re quite direct!”
At last, Chen Lin’er opened her eyes.
They were like clear waves, like a deep spring, unfathomable.
“I’m a straightforward person. I dislike beating around the bush.”
Her lips parted gently, voice serene. “You have impressive martial prowess, yet you serve as a prison chief. Such a thing is truly undeserved.”
“There are plenty of warriors like dogs. What’s the big deal? Our Great Xia dynasty has many formidable fighters. My level of cultivation is nothing special.”
Chen Lin’er glanced at Yang Zhan, frowning slightly. “You said you were direct just now, but now you’re not?”
“Then you misunderstood. I’m always blunt and straightforward.”
Chen Lin’er studied his smile, sensing he spoke with a hidden meaning.
She frowned. “You’re too modest. Many have the strength to knock Li Yu unconscious with a single brick, but few can approach her silently.”
Yang Zhan laughed. “Perhaps she simply didn’t take us prison guards seriously and was careless.”
Chen Lin’er looked deeply into Yang Zhan’s eyes, then shifted the topic. “Excessive modesty is not good. If you have true strength, you will shine wherever you go.”
Yang Zhan was surprised. “Really? Do you see any light on me?”
“Yes.”
“Nonsense. Look at your eyes; there’s no light.”
Chen Lin’er countered, “I admire your abilities.”
“Admiration without light in your eyes—what kind of admiration is that?”
Chen Lin’er took a deep breath, then suddenly her eyes emitted a golden glow.
“Now?”
Yang Zhan nodded approvingly. “Now!”
“But here, your radiance is hidden.”
“Oh? And how do you think it can be revealed?”
“You are both a government official and a man of the martial world. If you don’t find success here, it doesn’t mean there is no spring breeze elsewhere.”
Yang Zhan said nothing and turned to leave.
Chen Lin’er was momentarily stunned, then frowned deeply. “I can’t figure him out!”