The trunk of the tree shook even more violently. Even this incredible, towering ancient tree seemed to tremble under the colossal bulk of the Black Water Serpent.
Like a beast from the ancient times, the Black Water Serpent wrapped its enormous body around the tree. Wherever it passed, branches and leaves were left in disarray, and the vines and exotic flowers withered and shattered. It moved forward with a swaying tail, making the humans in front of it seem as insignificant as ants.
Lu Xueqi’s face grew slightly pale. She took a step forward, her eyes still fixed on the approaching primordial beast, and whispered to Zeng Shushu beside her, “What’s going on?”
Zeng Shushu, sweat beading on his forehead, replied, “When we were down there, we suddenly encountered this terrifying creature. Our meager cultivation was no match for it, so we could only run. But at that time, it didn’t seem to care about us; it was just searching for something and quickly left. We never expected it to come up here.”
Everyone exchanged glances. Though all present were accomplished cultivators, far beyond ordinary mortals, human strength had its limits, especially in the face of such a monstrous beast. Any attempt to resist would be laughable.
As the Black Water Serpent drew closer, Jin Ping’er suddenly said, “Oh no, this beast must also be after the treasures in the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury.”
The color drained from everyone’s faces.
Gui Li frowned slightly, his expression unchanged, but his mind raced back to the moment he first entered the inner swamp, where he had encountered an unbelievably large creature through the wall of miasma. He hadn’t been able to see clearly due to the fog, but since then, he had felt a faintly familiar stench in the air. Now, it seemed that the creature he had met was indeed the Black Water Serpent.
As the Black Water Serpent continued to advance, its massive black body pressed the tree trunk, causing it to shudder, almost making one wonder if the tree would collapse. In the air, its gigantic head, with fangs bared and a red, forked tongue flickering, let out a low, excited hiss, seemingly eager to reach the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury.
At this point, everyone realized that the beast’s target was indeed the treasures within the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury.
Gui Li turned to look at the treasury. The thick stone door remained motionless, and the sunlight that had previously shone on the flower field in front of the door now fell on the door itself. The four ancient characters, “Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury,” glowed brightly in the sunlight.
Fa Xiang, watching the enormous serpent approach like a mountain, sighed softly and turned to the others, “This Black Water Serpent is an ancient magical beast, not something we can defeat with our strength. We are no match for it. Let’s retreat quickly.”
Everyone knew this truth. Zeng Shushu and Lin Jingyu nodded, while Jin Ping’er grumbled, clearly unwilling, but her expression suggested she was preparing to leave.
The cultivators began to summon their artifacts, ready to scatter. A dark blue light slowly glowed in Gui Li’s hand as he turned to call out to Xiao Hui, who was hiding near the stone door. Just then, a dull rumbling sound came from the stone door of the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury.
At that moment, the sun’s rays were shining on the top horizontal stroke of the character “Tian” (天) in the ancient script.
“Roar!”
Almost simultaneously, the Black Water Serpent accelerated, its roar growing louder as it slithered up. Everyone was shocked. Jin Ping’er, Zeng Shushu, Lin Jingyu, and Fa Xiang were the first to take flight.
The air reeked, and a fierce wind blew, cutting like a knife.
Gui Li suddenly spun around and flew towards the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury. The others, already in the air, were taken aback. Looking back, they saw the Black Water Serpent, furious, its eyes wide, its mouth emitting wisps of black gas, its huge body twisting rapidly, and it was about to reach the treasury.
In front of the massive stone door of the treasury, the Black Water Serpent’s head seemed to be only the size of the stone door.
In mid-air, Gui Li felt the darkness behind him grow, a mountain of shadow rushing towards him. Without turning back, he knew the giant serpent was right behind him.
Transforming into a streak of azure light, he sped forward towards the stone door.
Suddenly, Xiao Hui, the monkey, shrieked!
A black shadow crashed down, the wind howling so fiercely that it pushed Gui Li off course before even touching him.
Gui Li was startled, but he was no longer the naive youth he once was in the Dead Abyss. Instantly, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, he piloted the Soul Eater, dodging the descending body of the Black Water Serpent by a hair’s breadth.
At this moment, the sound from the stone door of the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury rose higher, accompanied by a loud boom. Under the sunlight, the massive stone door, which had been intact, suddenly split open a crack, then slowly moved to the side.
Golden, dazzling light burst forth from the crack, blinding even in the daytime. The rising sun in the sky seemed to dim in comparison.
It was as if something was roaring inside the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury, resounding in the golden light!
The Black Water Serpent’s entire colossal body suddenly tensed, and it let out a earth-shattering roar, ignoring everything else as its massive head rushed straight for the stone door.
But between it and the stone door, the streak of azure light seemed to be ahead, about to enter the treasury…
If not for the bright, clear sword of Tianya.
A blue light screen, which had somehow reached above Gui Li, condensed into a massive light sword, slicing down at him. Red light flared in Gui Li’s eyes. The stone door was right in front of him, but if he didn’t block the brilliant sword light, he would be cut in two. With no other choice, he reversed the azure light, shooting upwards to meet the blue light. The clash of the two lights, surrounded by the menacing black shadow, created shockwaves that spread out, even affecting Jin Ping’er and the others, who paled in the air.
Despite the immense power, it had no effect on the Black Water Serpent or the strange golden light from the treasury. The golden light remained dazzling, and the Black Water Serpent continued its charge. The man and woman, in the midst of the dangerous, turbulent situation, held their ground, neither willing to give an inch.
Until, their artifacts’ lights overshadowed them, and their faces grew paler. But most importantly, in that brief moment, the massive black shadow loomed before them.
The cultivators’ artifacts, powered by their own strength, were dispelled by the Black Water Serpent’s ferocious collision.
Lu Xueqi and Gui Li were both thrown forward. Gui Li felt his chest surge with internal force, his mind buzzing, and his meridians jolted by the serpent’s powerful impact. A mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, held back only by the protective “Great Brahma Prajna” technique from the Temple of Celestial Sound, which rapidly absorbed and neutralized the external force.
Even so, he felt intense pain throughout his body, his bones broken, and in mid-air, he forced himself to turn and look at Lu Xueqi.
The cold, clear-faced woman seemed to be in even worse shape. Her white robes, bloodstained at the chest, revealed a pale face, and blood flowed from her lips, indicating she had vomited blood on the spot.
While the Green Cloud Sect’s Dao techniques were indeed miraculous, in terms of protecting one’s vital energy, the Temple of Celestial Sound’s Great Brahma Prajna was superior.
The righteous cultivators, hovering in the air, were speechless. This all happened in an instant, and before they could react, Lu Xueqi had already intercepted Gui Li. Moments later, both were slammed away by the Black Water Serpent, and their forms suggested they had sustained severe injuries.
Lu Xueqi, a disciple of the Green Cloud Sect, and Gui Li, once Zhang Xiaofan, both had deep ties with those present. As the situation unfolded, the righteous cultivators immediately flew down to help, though they couldn’t stop the Black Water Serpent, they hoped to aid the two.
Jin Ping’er also quietly descended from the other side, but under the shadow of the Black Water Serpent, her keen eyes were fixed on the golden light spilling from the stone door of the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury, her eyes gleaming.
Far off, the newborn sun rose higher.
The sunlight shifted, moving up from the horizontal stroke of the “Tian” character on the stone door.
Suddenly, the stone door, which had opened halfway, about three feet wide, stopped. Moments later, it began to close, and the golden light inside gradually dimmed.
Gui Li’s body felt as if it were splitting apart, but both he and Lu Xueqi remained conscious. However, the force of the Black Water Serpent’s impact was too great, and in that chaotic moment, he lost control, heading straight for the hard, solid stone door. At this speed, even with the combined protection of Buddhist, Daoist, and demonic techniques, he would likely be crushed to pieces.
Even more terrifying, the stone door was closing with a low, rumbling sound…
From afar, in the air, the sounds of Lin Jingyu and the others’ cries of alarm echoed!
For a moment, Gui Li’s mind wavered: vaguely, he saw a woman in green clothes, smiling at him under the blue sky. But her smile, somehow, was blurred.
Time seemed to slow in that instant.
His body twisted in the air, seeing the enraged Black Water Serpent closing in, the stone door closing in front of him, and the white-robed woman, also out of control, floating nearby.
He suddenly wanted to ask Lu Xueqi: Why did she risk her life to stop him?
“Chirp, chirp!” The sudden, shrill cry of Xiao Hui snapped him out of his reverie. Xiao Hui, now at the crack of the stone door, jumped frantically, screaming. The gap was now less than two feet wide.
They were about to collide with the stone door.
About to reach the end of their lives.
About to be crushed by the sky and clouds.
If he gave up…
He gritted his teeth, using the last of his strength to twist his body. In that instant, he saw the gap in front of him.
Perhaps, he could escape the ghost gate?
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if he were dying, utterly drained of strength.
The wind was sharp, but he suddenly felt someone watching him.
He looked up.
Lu Xueqi, at some point, had regained consciousness. Beside him, she was flying straight towards the hard stone door. Yet, for some reason, there was no fear on her beautiful, clear face.
In that dizzying, life-or-death moment, she was propelled towards death, but there was no sorrow, no fear on her face.
Like a night-blooming jasmine, with the red blood staining her form, amid the shocked cries in the distance, in front of Gui Li, no, in front of the young Zhang Xiaofan, she suddenly smiled.
Her pale smile held a tenderness never seen before. In the sharp wind, her lips parted, gazing at the person beside her.
Four words, piercing through the wind, the blood, and the years, lightly echoed, lingering in his ears, resonating in his heart.
“Come back…”
She closed her eyes, her body suddenly sinking, as if she were about to leave, her final strength spent with those four words.
Her black hair fluttered in the wind, partially covering her pale face. She drifted, her lips still curved in a faint smile.
But what was this, echoing in his heart so fiercely? Like a relentless flood, breaking through all barriers, even if the world could disappear, at this moment, that white figure,
How could he give up?
How could he let go?
A low, hoarse roar rumbled in his throat. Through unbidden tears, he struggled, battling the fierce wind, reaching out, reaching out, reaching out…
Tightly, grasping!
Just like ten years ago, by the Dead Abyss, when the white-robed woman, heedless of the falling stones, had come to him, grabbing his hand.
Tightly, grasping…
With his last ounce of consciousness, he used all his strength to pull her to him.
In front of them, the stone door’s gap was now only a foot wide, and the golden light inside had completely vanished, leaving only darkness.
A faint warmth in his palm.
He closed his eyes, the endless darkness swallowing them, just as it had ten years ago.
The stone door boomed shut, and in that final moment, Xiao Hui followed his master inside.
Immediately, the massive stone door closed again with a loud thud, and the gap in the middle inexplicably disappeared.
“Boom!” The massive head of the Black Water Serpent crashed into the stone door, the force like a mountain collapsing, making the massive tree trunk shake violently, as if about to break.
The Black Water Serpent, enraged at losing its prey, began to furiously batter the stone door, the force so great that even the people in the distant sky changed color.
Jin Ping’er, seething, took flight, distancing herself from the Black Water Serpent, cursing inwardly. Earlier, she had secretly approached the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury from the other side, hoping to enter, but the situation had suddenly turned, and the treasure trove had unexpectedly closed.
Frustrated at being too late, Jin Ping’er saw the Black Water Serpent’s fury shift towards the people in the sky. Noticing the beast’s head rise, she quickly retreated several dozen yards.
Indeed, the Black Water Serpent suddenly opened its mouth, spraying a jet of black, poisonous fluid at the airborne crowd. The putrid smell was overwhelming, making people retch. The righteous cultivators scrambled to avoid it, looking somewhat disheveled. Jin Ping’er, moving quickly, managed to remain relatively composed. But seeing the Black Water Serpent’s furious roars and its desperate attempts to smash the stone door, she realized she would gain nothing today. If she stayed, the righteous cultivators might turn against her. Better to retreat.
With this thought, Jin Ping’er quietly left, flying back the way she came. But not far along, she felt a jolt. In the path of the Black Water Serpent, a garden of vines and flowers, surprisingly undamaged, emitted a faint, reddish glow under the sunlight. The arrangement was chaotic, yet intricate.
Jin Ping’er’s brow furrowed, and after a careful look, a flash of insight lit her eyes. She glanced around swiftly, then sneered, muttering, “Even they have arrived!”
She hesitated in mid-air for a moment, then turned and flew away without a backward glance.
Before the Heavenly Emperor’s Treasury, the Black Water Serpent’s fury continued unabated, battering the stone door. The righteous cultivators, who had hoped to sneak down and rescue Lu Xueqi and Gui Li, found themselves under attack each time they tried to get closer. They barely escaped injury several times.
After several more close calls, Fa Xiang signaled the others to retreat farther, gathering together, and whispered, “This isn’t working. We don’t know what’s in the treasury that’s driving this beast mad. With it guarding the entrance, we have no chance of entering.”
Lin Jingyu’s face was grave, his eyes fixed on the Black Water Serpent below. Zeng Shushu, also anxious, was at a loss despite his intelligence.
As they fretted, the only sound in the world seemed to be the Black Water Serpent’s frenzied roars. Suddenly, the sky darkened.
Zeng Shushu and the others were startled. Just moments ago, it had been a clear, sunny day. How could the sky change so suddenly? They couldn’t help but look up.
What they saw left them gaping. Above, a vast, orange-yellow mass, several dozen feet in diameter, covered the sky, blocking out the sun.
Then, a phoenix-like cry rang out from the heavens.
The Black Water Serpent, which had been in a frenzy, suddenly froze, its massive head tilting upward, then opening its mouth in a threatening hiss, revealing fangs, and roaring at the cloud.
The cloud, though not as large as the Black Water Serpent, was almost equal in size, descended like a celestial curtain.
The distant observers, recognizing the giant bird with orange-yellow feathers, soaring in the sky, realized it showed no fear of the serpent and seemed intent on attacking.
The Black Water Serpent, facing this extraordinary bird, coiled its body, its head hissing, prepared for battle.
“That must be the legendary Nine Heavens Spirit Bird, the Yellow Bird!” Fa Xiang murmured, watching the two colossal beasts.
* * *
Note 1: This reference is from “The Classic of Mountains and Seas: The Great Wilderness South: Witch Mountain Yellow Bird.” There is a Witch Mountain, to the west of which dwells the Yellow Bird. The Heavenly Emperor’s medicine, eight fasts. The Yellow Bird watches over the Witch Mountain, overseeing this black serpent.
Note: The Emperor refers to the Heavenly Emperor, and the medicine is the divine elixir, or the elixir of immortality. The black serpent is the Black Water Serpent.
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