Be Passive In The High Martial World

Chapter 2: Reciprocity

The tone was far from polite.

The beautiful woman hesitated for a moment and timidly said something untimely.

"Why...?"

She didn't recognize the other person, only vaguely remembering the appearance of this musician, but couldn't recall their name.

Why would they be willing to share the sustenance of life with her?

Even the once highly esteemed Liang Kingdom Queen, in this prison cell, was nothing more than a humiliated prisoner, how could a stranger be willing to make such a sacrifice?

Could there be another motive...

Thinking of the offense from the soldiers just now, Liang Kingdom Queen bit her lip and clenched her clothes.

Chen Kuang knew exactly what she was doubting.

Emperor Liang considered himself refined and elegant, indulging in worldly pleasures year-round, and had a great love for watching music and dance performances. There were as many as 120 musicians and dancers in the palace, and it would be strange if she could remember them all.

But... it's better not to recognize.

Chen Kuang smiled silently and spoke:

"Madam, you've forgotten. Three years ago, I made a mistake and was punished by Luo Lezheng with a flogging. Coincidentally, you passed by and saved my life."

"I remember it very clearly. That day, I heard others say that you were wearing a green dress... It seemed as beautiful as a Celestial Immortal."

At this moment, his tone softened again.

Liang Kingdom Queen felt a hint of passion and tenderness in the young man's voice in the dim prison cell, which startled her and quickly lowered her head.

Fortunately, it seemed that he realized he misspoke and then sincerely said in a low voice:

"I remembered it in my heart and didn't expect to repay the favor today."

Liang Kingdom Queen was instantly stunned upon hearing this.

Originally, she had no impression at all, but the way the other person spoke confidently and with such detail made her feel like it might actually be true.

Green was not her favorite color, but she wore it quite often. And she was naturally gentle and kind-hearted, so if she saw a palace maid being punished, she would speak up.

If it was true that she had saved a young musician because of this, it would make sense. But if she tried to recall carefully, she couldn't remember which time it was.

In fact...

Of course, it never happened.

Chen Kuang had indeed been framed and punished for making a mistake, but his life was never in danger, and Liang Kingdom Queen had nothing to do with it from beginning to end.

But now, the other musicians who were familiar with Chen Kuang, including Luo Lezheng, were all dead in the Jinghe Palace.

No one could expose the lie, so it became the truth.

To make the motive more believable, Chen Kuang also expressed his admiration appropriately.

- For a woman whose life was hanging by a thread, a man's admiration might provide a sense of security even more than a life-saving favor.

Liang Kingdom Queen hesitated for a moment with her head lowered, but eventually reached out and picked up the steamed bun.

"Thank you. May I know the gentleman's name?"

"Chen Kuang."

The young man across from her reached out and wrote his name on the dusty ground, crooked and twisted.

What an ugly handwriting...

Liang Kingdom Queen muttered to herself at first, but suddenly felt a shock in her heart.

Although the two characters "Chen Kuang" were ugly, from her perspective, they were perfectly straight, with not a single stroke wrong. And at this moment, they were sitting face to face - the other person was writing their own name backward!

No one would practice writing their own name backward regularly. Chen Kuang must have improvised.

This skill was no less impressive than drawing a circle with the left hand and a square with the right hand.

Not to mention he was blind...

Liang Kingdom Queen had seen many extraordinary people, but even with this skill, she was still amazed.

That young man shrouded in darkness, aside from goodwill and offense, now had a touch of the secrets of Spirit Partitioning.

Feeling grateful, the woman whispered, "If I am fortunate enough to survive, I will definitely repay you in the future."

"No need."

The young man on the other side seemed to smile. "I am only doing this to repay a favor. There is no need for the lady to repay me. I have only heard of tit-for-tat, but never heard of reciprocal favors."

As long as you... or the person behind you, come to save you, and remember this favor of a meal, just take me away.

Emperor Liang only had one daughter.

In other words, the mother and daughter next door... were the last bloodline of the Liang Kingdom.

Those prison guards spoke disrespectfully, but they didn't dare to directly harm them. At most, they were just threats.

Chen Kuang speculated that General Fei Feng of the Great Zhou might want to use them to lure out the remaining power of the Liang Kingdom.

This world, countries, sects, they all depend on each other.

Naturally, the Liang Kingdom also has a force of cultivators who are loyal to the royal family.

Chen Kuang doesn't know how powerful this force is, but at least it is definitely much stronger than him, who is currently at a low level and no different from an ordinary person.

The Queen of the Liang Kingdom takes a small bite of the steamed bun and smiles softly when she hears this, her eyes shining slightly. "Then... let's settle things with Mr. Chen."

Actually... it doesn't matter if he doesn't leave.

When his body had a high fever, his soul had already squeezed in and heard a lot of chatter from the prison guards.

The Great Zhou army does not plan to massacre the city. Out of the more than two thousand people imprisoned, aside from some important figures who must die, the rest will be turned into slaves and integrated into the fifty thousand Zhou army to help with tasks once everything is over.

It's just that he doesn't know what this so-called "everything" is.

Chen Kuang touched his eye sockets and seemed to still feel the high temperature when his eyes were melting during the high fever.

The unknown elixir... the cured eye disease...

He felt a bit uneasy for no reason.

Now, his only sense of security is probably the Embryonic Breathing Technique, which is constantly running passively, bringing spiritual energy to his body, slowly forming a weak tide, repeatedly impacting the closed eighth aperture.

Yesterday, the ninth aperture had already been successfully formed, and now it is filled with spiritual energy, becoming a "battery" that provides energy, further driving the tide.

If it weren't for this spiritual energy that can temporarily sustain his body, ensuring that he wouldn't starve to death even without eating or drinking for two or three days, he wouldn't give away the steamed bun.

He can barely be considered a cultivator now.

But there is not a single word about cultivation knowledge in his memory.

He possesses treasures, but has nowhere to use them.

Should he wait for another usable passive ability?

It's hard to say...

Chen Kuang clicked his tongue lightly and turned his head to look at the old man in the cell on the right, who had finished eating the steamed bun and was now lying on the ground, snoring loudly.

The Great Liang's God of Slaughter, the Grand General, Huo Hengxuan.

It is said that he is also a cultivator, using martial arts to enter the Dao, with a divine ability that is unparalleled.

Seems quite formidable?

Thinking of the scene where the old man chased after the steamed bun without any dignity, Chen Kuang couldn't help but feel speechless for a moment.

The old man turned over, his empty wrist scratched his chest, and the sound of the chains rattled.

He smacked his lips, wiped the bloody flesh on his wrist, and licked the crumbs of the steamed bun that were stuck to his chest.

Chen Kuang: "..."

Maybe I should still wait for a passive ability...

He was thinking this when he suddenly noticed some changes in the scene before his eyes.

Although the old general's limbs were severed, the flesh and blood at the severed parts seemed to be forming four lumps, being supplied by the blood throughout his body, wriggling with vitality.

Huh?

Chen Kuang's heart skipped a beat. Could this be the effect of "Insightful Gaze"?

Looking more closely, those lumps that were originally thought to be flesh lumps turned out to be unformed finger bones squeezed together!

They were gathering strength, as if they could break through the soil at any moment!

Chen Kuang hadn't thought it through yet.

"Boom—"

Suddenly, a thunderous sound shook the entire cell.

Several pieces of rubble fell from above, and the Queen of the Liang Kingdom hugged her daughter and screamed, shrinking into a corner.

Chen Kuang immediately stood up, but before he could comfort them, he heard the prison guards outside shouting in panic.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Get up! Don't panic! Hold on! It will be fine soon!"

The people from the Liang Kingdom have arrived?

So soon!

Chen Kuang was somewhat surprised, his gaze flickering and falling on the lock in front of him, his fingers moved.

Opening this kind of lock is very simple... he needs a long piece of metal... the Queen of the Liang Kingdom still has a hairpin on her head... as long as...

"Hehe, kid, I advise you to stay calm."

A hoarse and old voice.

Chen Kuang suddenly turned around and met a pair of bloodshot and mocking eyes between the bars.

"Why? Now..."

The old man didn't speak, he gave Chen Kuang a disdainful look, raised his empty wrist, and pointed it high towards the only small window in the cell.

Chen Kuang subconsciously followed his gaze and his pupils contracted instantly.

(End of this chapter)