After some time passed, accompanied by a loud screeching sound coming from behind, Xiao Feng returned. It seemed that the cart didn't have runes, so he had used some rope to make a harness which he was using to pull it.

The cart was made of some kind of metal that right now was covered in rust. It could be described as a simple 10 feet in length and five in width plate mounted on four wheels that while screeching and even releasing a spark or two still followed the tracks.

Duqi who was still standing on the same spot as before only reacted when he heard the loud screeching, although Wu Guang had explained to him their location and the current situation, he was still a bit shocked about the latter. He had never even dreamed of something like what was happening.

Wu Guang after some observation asked Xiao Feng for the oil he had brought from the armory. He opened the jug that Xiao Feng passed him and applied some of the oil on the wheels. After this was done, the screeching was far more passable. Xiao Feng only shrugged with a smile

"I didn't think about it"

"Quickly load the young Clansmen. When you arrive at the tunnel that leads to the tower if they have not awakened, call the pair of Martial Palace disciples that I asked to guard the access. They are the same ones that were at the tower's door. Don't forget the two guards as well" After saying this, Elder Chen nodded to them and started moving north.

It only took a few moments for Xiao Feng, Wu Guang, and Duqi to load the 7 people into the platform. After that, the harness was removed. There was no way to turn the cart around, so they would need to either make a new harness from the other side or push it.

After some thinking, they decided that pushing would be the best option as it will let them quickly react in case something happens. First, Wu Guang and Duqi would push together while Xiao Feng rests.

After they start to tire out, Xiao Feng will push it the rest of the path, while they rest and guard.

The luminous rock was fueled by qi, but it could store enough to work sometime without Xiao Feng holding it, so there would be no issues with lighting the path.

All this decided, Xiao Feng took the front while the pair started pushing and moved out.

__________________________________________________________________________________

When Wu Guang and his group were about to reach the room under the North Wall, Elder Chen had reached his destination using his movement technique.

Three miles from the storage room from which they had rescued the young clansmen the tunnel and railway split in two. Following the right path, he continued forward along the right rails that also entered this tunnel. After moving for some dozens of feet, at an almost straight turn directed to the East he sensed Zhen Mang standing ahead in full darkness, who quickly activated an isolation talisman that not only concealed their voices but also slightly illuminated the surroundings.

First, he listened to Elder Chen recounting what was done and then started explaining the situation on his side

"Almost two miles from here the underground mine closest to the city is located. The other tunnel leads to the other north mine, the one located near the ambush spot, most probably it was the one that they used for the ambush on Shu Qiang. The mine here it's used as a base for the group that attacked the Clan's people. Using the most possible stealth, I managed to learn the next;

The group consists of several mid Spirit or lower cultivators plus three experts of the Soul realm, the most powerful being someone who they call Master Zao.

The Assembly warrior that was accompanying the group is a minor clan warrior on the pinnacle Spirit realm and is supposedly dead.

As Lang Zheng managed to escape when he was brought in the mine, so they have closed this tunnel entrance with their weaker cultivators. The experts are seemingly searching the mine. The young ones were sent to the room from where you rescued them and someone was supposed to meet this group there"

Nodding to this explanation, Elder Chen only asked "Do you have a plan of action?"

"They seem to have used some kind of sleep poison, so Lang Zheng is uninjured. If we make a scene at the entrance by eliminating the weaker ones, both the three enemies and he will sense it and appear. In a three versus three, we have all the chances"

"It's risky, but we can't lose time. I am worried that if there are experts in the group that will come to receive them, Xiao Feng and Wu Guang may not reach the tower. Or in the worse case, they will come here and we will be pincered. Give me the time to assimilate the qi from a Recovery pill and we will go in" Right after saying this, Elder Chen threw a bluish pill that appeared from his Holding Pouch and sat down crosslegged near the wall.

Zhen Mang's talisman effect finished after some moments, so he silently stood guard, fully merging with the darkness.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Wu Guang and company had only passed the room with the mechanisms at the moment that Elder Chen's worries became reality.

The metal plates that were covering the top of the stairs that led to the North Wall moved and a group of people who looked like soldiers started descending them. They had mixed leather and steel armor, leather helms covered their heads and everyone carried a weapon. Four were armed with swords and walking at the front and the back of the group carried lanterns in their free hands. The rest of them, eight to be exact were armed with spears and shields.

Two men dressed in black robes with hoods covering their faces were following this group.

Wu Guang who was currently walking ahead of the cart that they were using to transport the rescued suddenly sensed danger. He stopped and hid the activated luminous stone under his robe, obscuring its light and sending the signal that they had agreed before.

Seeing the light disappearing, Xiao Feng stopped pushing the cart and quickly circled around it. In a very low voice, he asked

"Brother Wu, what happened?"

Wu Guang motioned to Duqi to approach as well and whispering said

"I heard a metallic sound behind us, there may be someone there. After all, the guards should be relieved sometime"

"Are you sure?" Duqi who was not convinced of Wu Guang strength or position as the leader of their small group also whispered

"I don't know, but better safe than sorry"

"I will go look, let me first deactivate the light" Xiao Feng quickly touched the stone that Wu Guang had hidden under the robe and then silently started walking back to the room they had just passed.

After some brief moments, he returned. And whispered with a tone of nervousness

"Brother Wu was right. There are several people in the room. They seem to be walking towards the north tunnel. What do you think we should do?"

"Let's wait enough time for them to walk half of the path to the storage room. Then we will need to quickly move to the tower's tunnel entrance. When they discover that the prisoners disappeared, they will either go north where Elder Chen went, or south to the Tower. Maybe they will divide. In any case, near the tower, we at least can call for reinforcements"

"Agreed"

"Agreed" Duqi also answered in a low voice after thinking about it for a brief moment.

After waiting for what Wu Guang considered to be enough, the three of them started pushing the cart. This time they didn't use the luminous stone, the tunnel was straight and a small light could be seen from far away.