Chapter 1049: Reaching the Third Floor Smoothly
Editor: Henyee Translations

Following the map, the group advanced towards the three-story pavilion.

Fifth Master Xuan and Xuan Dong Wu lagged behind, ready to act at any moment but hesitant due to their uncertainty about Chu Tang’s capabilities. They decided to wait until they found the Imperial Seal before making any moves.

In the darkness, a chilling wind blew intermittently.

Chu Tang paused to feel the cold wind, thinking, How can there be wind underground? This is strange!

The others felt it too, but unlike Chu Qingzhi, who was experienced, they believed it was ghostly wind. Considering the countless people who had died here, they thought these winds were caused by wandering spirits. After all, how else could there be wind in such a sealed place?

Su Liangwei and Duan Ting deeply regretted coming down here, fearing for their lives.

Fifth Master Xuan and Xuan Dong Wu exchanged glances and drew closer, finding the place increasingly eerie and realizing the Nalan family’s reputation for deadly mechanisms was no joke.

Chu Tang’s spiritual sense remained active, detecting no anomalies. After a moment’s pause, he continued forward.

Any traps encountered were easily neutralized by Chu Tang, and eventually, they reached the pavilion.

Unlike the rest of the Nalan estate, which was tilted, the pavilion stood upright. Located beside the back garden’s large study, it was buried in the earth. Without a corridor leading straight to its entrance, they wouldn’t have found it.

Besides Chu Tang, everyone else looked at the pavilion with bright eyes, as if they had discovered a treasure trove.

Eager, Fifth Master Xuan pushed past the others and tried to open the door.

“Move aside!” Chu Tang sidestepped to the left, pushing the others aside as well.

The next moment, arrows shot out from within, their whistling sound making everyone’s hearts race.

Fifth Master Xuan reacted quickly, dodging just in time to avoid a fatal hit.

Shang Zixing patted his chest, relieved, “Who knew just opening a door would be so dangerous.”

Chu Tang glanced at Fifth Master Xuan, “This place is full of traps. Any careless step could trigger another one. We must proceed with caution.”

Fifth Master Xuan felt a twinge of embarrassment. Wasn’t Chu Tang implying he had been reckless? Being criticized by someone much younger, he felt his face burn. But Chu Tang paid him no mind and used his sword to push him aside, entering the pavilion.

Angered, Fifth Master Xuan was about to retaliate when Xuan Dong Wu pulled him back, “Uncle, he’s young. It’s not worth arguing with him.”

Small forbearance leads to great plans; they could deal with him later.

Understanding, Fifth Master Xuan snorted but said nothing more.

With a wave of his hand, Chu Tang lit the oil lamps on the pavilion’s walls, illuminating the space.

Unexpectedly, the ground floor was empty, just a layer of dust covering the floor.

There was a door on one side. Chu Tang approached and opened it, revealing stairs leading upward. He glanced upwards and started climbing to the second floor.

The others followed, no longer daring to be reckless, obediently trailing behind Chu Tang.

The wooden stairs creaked under their weight. Once they reached the second floor, the noise ceased.

Chu Tang lit the oil lamps on this floor, revealing the space.

It was a workshop for creating mechanisms, filled with wood, tools, paints, and blueprints. The floor was littered with wood shavings and scraps. Around the walls stood several wooden puppets.

Chu Tang examined the blueprints briefly, then burned them to ashes.

“These mechanisms are too deadly. Better to destroy them,” he said.

Fifth Master Xuan was dismayed, “If you didn’t want them, you could have given them to us instead of destroying them.”

Chu Tang merely glanced at Fifth Master Xuan before moving towards another door, this one leading to another staircase. As he opened the door, the puppets around the room came to life, moving to block their way upstairs.

Chu Tang marveled at how these mechanisms still worked after so many years. If the Nalan family were still around, they would surpass most powerful families, possibly even commanding respect from the emperor.

With swift movements, he beheaded one puppet after another, rendering them inactive.

Seeing Chu Tang’s skill, Fifth Master Xuan and Xuan Dong Wu grew uneasy.

Jiang Zhaoyong and Shang Zixing helped destroy the puppets, noting that cutting off their heads was the most effective way to stop them. Su Liangwei and Duan Ting also fought, albeit less effectively and with more difficulty.

Finally, with a crash, Chu Tang smashed the last puppet in front of Fifth Master Xuan and Xuan Dong Wu, deepening their unease. Was he doing this on purpose to intimidate them?

Ignoring their reactions, Chu Tang turned and ascended to the third floor, lighting the lamps as he went.

The third floor turned out to be an alchemy room, with a large furnace in the center, surrounded by bottles, jars, and shelves full of now-useless herbs.

After examining the room and finding nothing of value, they descended back to the ground floor.

They searched the ground floor thoroughly, tapping and probing every surface but found no entrance to the vault.

Feigning humility, Fifth Master Xuan approached Chu Tang, “Do you have any ideas?”

Chu Tang replied calmly, “No, let’s keep searching. The entrance must be here somewhere.”

As he spoke, a realization struck him: if the entrance wasn’t on this floor, where else could it be?

Following this thought, Chu Tang stepped outside and began searching the area with his torch.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoyong and the others followed him out.

Jiang Zhaoyong asked, “Why are we searching outside?”

Chu Tang replied, “Sometimes the obvious place isn’t the right one. The entrance could be hidden out here.”