Volume I: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss - Chapter 140: Dilemma

"When you returned, did you see your uncle in the State of Wei?" the Lord of Jin asked him.

"I did," Wang Chuan nodded.

"How is he?"

"Everything is well," Wang Chuan replied.

"That is good. Back in the day, he was also sent here to the State of Jin," the Lord of Jin mused, drifting into memories of the past.

Why was it that even when states were on good terms, they always insisted on exchanging hostages? The young man found it strange, but he did not expose the absurdity. With the two nations being neighbors, their relationship was of paramount importance.

"In those years, I often went out with him, and occasionally we would get into trouble. Those were such good times—carefree. Your mother was there too; she was a very gentle person and always helped us plead our case... You know what happened later. The State of Wei fell into turmoil, and it was your mother who came to me to borrow troops to restore the rightful ruler," the Lord of Jin sighed again. "I am getting old and rambling. Never mind. I shall leave the State of Wei to the Fourth Prince; let him finish what you started."

Wang Chuan remained expressionless, offering no reply.

The Fourth Prince glanced over, stepped forward, and said, "Thank you, Imperial Father. I will not let you down."

"Good. Now, as for the State of Yu..." The Lord of Jin looked down toward the assembly. Many eyes were fixed on Wang Chuan, gauging his reaction.

"Leave it to Duan Changfeng. He has the ambition of a feudal lord!" Wang Chuan said quickly.

"The ambition of a feudal lord? Wang Chuan, you actually said such a thing." The Lord of Jin seemed amused and looked at them. "Very well, as you wish."

...

While the others continued to discuss policies, Wang Chuan had already departed. Duan Changfeng caught up with him shortly after.

"There is no need to say anything. Just do your work well. Do not concern yourself with my thoughts, and do not disappoint me!" Wang Chuan said earnestly. "As for other matters, only once you have finished your tasks will it be my turn."

Duan Changfeng paused, then nodded. "Yes!"

"You... be careful," the young man said after a moment's thought.

Upon returning to his manor, he intended to slip away secretly, but Xu Wei called out to him.

"What is it?" the young man asked, surprised.

"While I was tidying up, I found this calligraphy left behind by Brother Chuan. It looks like it has been here a long time," Xu Wei said, showing it to him.

The young man opened it, thought for a moment, and nodded. "It is likely as you suspect. He had already chosen a name for his future daughter; there was a premonition in the unseen. If that is the case, though he is safe, it may be quite some time before he can return."

The young man sighed. The character was *Yuan* (beauty/grace).

"I understand now," Xu Wei nodded. "To be *Yuan* is to be a beautiful woman. He wanted his daughter to grow up beautiful, healthy, and happy."

"I shall be going now," the young man said after a moment. "Perhaps have Shu Yi and the others come to keep you company. Her mother can look after you; she has experience having raised two children. I will just cultivate in the guest quarters."

"Thank you," Xu Wei said gratefully.

"Do not worry about the affairs of the State of Yu. With me here, I can ensure your parents remain unharmed," the young man added. "By then, Wang Chuan will only need to contend for the position of Human Emperor; the people of both nations will accept it."

"I understand," Xu Wei said. "Everything is left to you, sir."

...

The sound of flowing water echoed in his ears. His muscles and skin felt as if they were being torn apart, and his bones were shattered, sending waves of excruciating pain through his body. He felt as if he were submerged somewhere cold and damp; it was an incredibly uncomfortable sensation.

He had not experienced such a thing in a long time. He opened his eyes, but all was pitch black—no light, no sound. He attempted to circulate his internal energy, but there was no response. He could not sense the existence of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth at all.

It was an energy he had never encountered before, and it seemed to subtly repel him. He tried to absorb the energy within it, but it was completely futile. It was like being in a desert where swimming skills were useless. Fortunately, he could still muster a sliver of soul power, though it was extremely weak.

Suddenly, a mournful wail echoed—a sound he felt he had heard before—and he could not help but be stunned. From all directions, something emitted a nauseating stench. Suddenly, light flooded in as if a gate had been opened. Only then did he see that he was trapped in a dungeon, surrounded by several men in rags.

Someone was dragged in, treated like cargo without a shred of pity, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground. A bucket of water was splashed over the man's head to rouse him. Watching from the side, he realized that the energy on these people was incredibly strange—he had never seen anything like it before.

So, where exactly was this place?

"Speak! What is your name?" the leader, a man with a fierce expression, barked.

"Luo Xiang," the man replied.

"Where are you from?"

"The Iron Forest Tribe..."

The scarred man exchanged a glance with his companion and sneered. "What do you do for a living?"

"I... I sell furs. I was robbed."

"Bullshit!" the scarred man suddenly roared, grabbing the man by the collar. "How did you escape?"

The others were equally bewildered. The man being held looked stunned.

"You won't talk? A tough bone, are you? Looking for a beating?" The scarred man kicked him, and the sound of cracking bones was audible.

"Wait, you have the wrong person!" Luo Xiang cried out in desperation.

"We are beating you precisely because you are you!"

"You dog of a servant, you don't listen!"

"Grown wings, have you? Trying to run away."

"..."

Blows rained down like a storm. These men were well-trained, targeting the most painful areas, causing the victim to howl in agony. The corners of his eyes split, and blood flowed freely.

"Have you remembered yet, boy? We bought you, and you ran away the moment you arrived, and you even stole my things," the scarred man said viciously.

"It really wasn't me," Luo Xiang protested, feeling immensely wronged.

"If it wasn't you, then who was it? Stop talking nonsense!"

The group beat him for a while longer before preparing to leave.

"Wait!" someone else called out to them.

They turned back, looking impatient. The man spoke: "I am the future Human Emperor of the Nine Provinces. If you let me go, I will give you endless wealth. You only want money, right? Or I can grant you the title of a prince."

The man trapped in the corner spoke with absolute sincerity. "My name is Wang Chuan. You can ask around."

The men looked at each other. The scarred man, in particular, laughed and walked away. The door was shut once more, and darkness flooded back in.

"Sigh, you people have no idea what you have missed out on," Wang Chuan could only sigh in his heart. He felt sorry for them.

But it didn't matter. As long as he was alive, he still had a chance. The void had been chaotic; he didn't know where he had been cast, and the pursuit of those demon gods had destroyed the space channel he had opened.

However, he seemed to have finally left a place where they were not present. It was another place completely foreign to him. The vastness of the myriad worlds was beyond his imagination. Even a sage could not be all-knowing or all-powerful.

"Help!" the man from earlier suddenly shouted.

"Quiet!" someone else replied, impatient. "Are you stupid or just a fool? If you were in the slave-trading business and an outsider appeared—someone alone, with no money, no connections, and no wits—what would you do?"

Luo Xiang paused. "Am I that stupid?"

"If you weren't stupid, you would understand your situation. The best outcome is for someone you know to buy you and rescue you. If you keep making noise, it won't matter if you end up dead," Wang Chuan sighed.

Seeing the situation, he had understood his own plight as well, but he had to survive first. If he was to be a slave, so be it; he would find an opportunity to escape. These people were capturing him and the man before him; they were being used as slaves.

"This is outrageous! Is there no law?" Luo Xiang exclaimed indignantly. "I want to see the City Lord."

"The law?" the others laughed. "That is something only for the people at the top. Seeing the City Lord won't help you; you'll just die faster."

"May I ask, what place is this?" Wang Chuan asked the man who had spoken, even though he could not see him.

"The Great Wilderness City," the man replied. "There are more than twenty of us in total. On the road here, there was no food; ten of us were traded for a cart of grain, and some were sold off. The rest are here. You, him, and one other who was picked up before you—he died."

Luo Xiang fell silent, seemingly anticipating his own end. Perhaps, as Wang Chuan said, the only way to survive was to have someone he knew buy him. Yet, the possibility of that was slim to none.

"Thank you," Wang Chuan said.

Though he did not yet know where he was, he would learn in time. He would take it slow. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth here was strange and incompatible with his body. Even his soul was difficult to cultivate. If he could obtain a technique from this world, he would certainly be able to resolve it; he would find a way.

"Do you have a plan?" the man asked.

Wang Chuan did not understand. "What?"

"You are very optimistic. Haven't you found a way?" the man asked again.

"No, I just remembered something happy," Wang Chuan said.

"What happy thing?" Luo Xiang asked curiously.

"A long time ago, someone gave me a puzzle," Wang Chuan told them. "A chicken was looking for food in a courtyard, scratching through a pile of sand. It found a pearl, threw it aside, and then found a grain of rice, which it ate happily... The person who posed the question asked me what I thought of it."

"Why would it eat the pearl?" Luo Xiang asked, confused.

"Because it couldn't eat it, you idiot! The story is about finding what is suitable, what one actually needs," the man said. "But there is another hidden meaning: if the chicken had brought the pearl to its master, it would have received much more. Or perhaps it is a satire on those who 'buy the box but return the pearl'—people who don't recognize a treasure when they see one and think it's useless. So, which one did you choose?"

"In such moments, it is best to cater to the person asking the question, or choose the safest answer," Wang Chuan smiled.

"It is truly a coincidence. A long time ago, I encountered that same puzzle," the man suddenly said.

Wang Chuan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. The other man laughed as well, as if they had both gone mad. The others were completely bewildered.

This was perhaps his greatest surprise. Wang Chuan suddenly felt that his past misfortunes were truly nothing. His mood lifted, and he felt quite happy.

The only thing left was his worry for Xu Wei. Even though he had a foolproof plan, he wanted to return as soon as possible; only then would his heart be at peace.