Everyone had finally escaped that cursed formation, and once again, they could hear Bai Erlaizi’s voice.
Everyone had escaped the formation and could now hear Bai Er Lai Zi’s voice again.
Bai Er Lai Zi was over there, shooting at the spirit mediums who were climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “Damn it, what the hell did you summon? Why are there so many?”
Liu Dashao knew that this couldn’t go on; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these spirit mediums. The monster was already stepping on them, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao was frantic, thinking, “This is bad, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the giant oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the spirit mediums had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these spirit mediums and the monster?
As more and more spirit mediums rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Er Lai Zi were barely holding their ground, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his celestial master’s sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back towards the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum, using the gun butt to sweep off the spirit mediums on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grasped the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gun butt and forcefully thrust it into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the heavy gun butt plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air surged, and everything suddenly froze.
The frenzied spirit mediums stiffened, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster also remained in its climbing posture, as if under a paralysis spell, unable to move.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao standing on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath; heaven had been kind to him, and his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the monster’s head. A splash of yellow fluid shot up, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell backward with a thud, collapsing into a pile of mush on the platform. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the spirit mediums rapidly withered, their round bellies deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing downward.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool cracked and then shattered, sinking into the pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, spinning rapidly like a giant black eye.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The tomb’s eye has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they quickly crawled towards the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, snapping the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, its momentum sending it swinging high.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain and was flung into the air. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling from mid-air. He rolled on the ground in a protective posture and finally stopped. Though unharmed, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Er Lai Zi wailed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cave with torrents of water. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung upside down from the ceiling, cascading down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly, and soon it would be completely submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! If we stay here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic! Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Er Lai Zi carried him. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and then stayed in the water, floating as it rose.
The water in the cave kept rising, and the four kept paddling, trying not to sink. The holes in the ceiling were getting closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was starting to feel exhausted. Zhang Enpu had swallowed several mouthfuls of water, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, lifting him up repeatedly.
Amid the sound of rushing water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on, everyone! We’re almost at the dawn of revolution!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them towards it.
Liu Dashao kicked hard, propelling himself out of the hole. Everything was dark, and his head was spinning. All he could hear was the gurgling of water. His chest felt blocked, and he was suffocating. With less and less oxygen, Liu Dashao felt like he was dying, drifting like a fish on the brink of death.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, a bright light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked backward, hitting something that felt like a rock. With that kick, Liu Dashao surfaced, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
Outside, it was already bright. The morning sun pierced through the mist, casting shimmering light on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Er Lai Zi clutched his head, cursing, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he had kicked might have been Bai Er Lai Zi’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it, or Bai Er Lai Zi would have killed him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao looked around. They were floating in a stream flowing down from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore. The low-lying area by the bank was covered in water plants, and beneath them were numerous holes, likely the dens of muskrats.
One by one, they climbed onto the bank. The morning forest was chilly, and everyone was still wet from the water. The mountain wind made them shiver. Liu Dashao and the others were still sturdy, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was worse off. His lips were blue, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered and said, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“Da… Dashao… is there… any way… to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But everyone was soaked, and they had no matches, so starting a fire was out of the question. The only option was to exercise vigorously to get their blood circulating and warm up.
Though Liu Dashao knew his suggestion wasn’t ideal, in this situation, no one could think of a better solution. To prevent catching a cold, they all stripped off their clothes and tied them around their waists, then started “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt refreshing; the wind was cool on their skin, and their bodies could better absorb the nutrients in the air. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of activity was only suitable in remote areas; doing it in a crowded place would make them perverts. But here, it was called returning to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running several miles, they were all sweating, their faces flushed and no longer pale. However, the run had drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning from now on?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you dare to streak?”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Everyone had escaped from the formation, and now they could hear Bai Erlai’s voice again.
Bai Erlai was over there, shooting at the spirit mediums who were climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “What the hell did you guys summon? Why are there so many of them?”
Liu Dashao knew that this couldn’t go on; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these spirit mediums. The monster was already stepping on them, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao was frantic, thinking, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the giant oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the spirit mediums had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these spirit mediums and the monster?
As more and more spirit mediums rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Erlai were barely holding on, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his celestial master’s sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back towards the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum, using the butt of his gun to sweep off the spirit mediums on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gun butt and slammed it hard into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the thick gun butt plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air surged, and everything suddenly froze.
The frenzied spirit mediums stiffened, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster, too, was stuck in the act of climbing the chain, as if under a paralysis spell, unable to move.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath; heaven had been kind to him, and his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the monster’s head. A burst of foul yellow liquid splattered high, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell straight back, crashing onto the platform and turning into a pile of mush. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the spirit mediums rapidly withered, their round bellies deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing down.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool cracked and then collapsed, sinking into the pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, like a giant black eye spinning rapidly.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The ancient tomb’s core has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they scrambled towards the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, smashing the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, swinging high with the force of inertia.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain and was flung into the air. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling to the ground and rolling several times before stopping. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Erlai wailed.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Several water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cavern. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung from the ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly; it would soon be submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! Staying here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic! Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water, once it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Erlai carried him. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and stayed in the water, floating as it rose.
The water in the cave kept increasing, and the four struggled to stay afloat. The holes in the ceiling grew closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was feeling weak. Zhang Enpu choked on water several times, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, lifting him up repeatedly.
Amidst the sound of rushing water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on! We’re almost at the dawn of revolution!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them towards it.
Liu Dashao kicked hard, shooting out of the hole. Everything was dark, and his head was spinning. He could only hear the gurgling of water, feeling like his chest was blocked, suffocating him. His oxygen was running out, and he felt like he was dying, drifting like a fish on the brink of death.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, a bright light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked backward, his foot hitting something hard. With that kick, he surfaced, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
Outside, it was already bright, the morning light piercing through the mist, sparkling on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Erlai clutched his head, cursing, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he thought he had kicked might have been Bai Erlai’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it; Bai Erlai would have killed him.
Once their eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao surveyed the surroundings. They were floating in a mountain stream, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore, where low-lying areas were filled with water plants. Pushing aside the plants revealed numerous burrows, likely the dens of musk rats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and everyone was still wet, shivering in the wind. Liu Dashao and the others were hardy, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was in bad shape. His lips were blue, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered, saying, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“Da… Dashao… is there… any way… to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But everyone was wet, and they had no matches, so starting a fire was out of the question. The only option was to exercise vigorously, which would get their blood circulating and warm them up.
Though Liu Dashao knew it wasn’t the best solution, in this situation, they had no other choice. To prevent catching a cold, they all stripped down to their waists and began “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt good; the wind was cool on their skin, and their bodies absorbed the nutrients in the air better. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of activity was only possible in the wilderness; doing it in public would be considered indecent. But here, it was a return to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running for miles, everyone was sweating, their faces flushed and no longer pale. However, the run drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning from now on?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you should be ashamed to streak!”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Everyone had escaped from the array, and now they could hear Bai Er Lai Zi’s voice again.
Bai Er Lai Zi was over there, shooting at the Jinu women climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “Damn it, what the hell did you summon? Why are there so many of them?”
Liu Dashao knew that this couldn’t go on; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these Jinu women. The monster was already stepping on them, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao thought anxiously, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the huge oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the Jinu women had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these Jinu women and the monster?
As more and more Jinu women rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Er Lai Zi were barely holding on, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his Heavenly Master Sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back toward the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum and used the gunstock to sweep away the Jinu women on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gunstock and thrust it hard into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the thick gunstock plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air surged, and everything suddenly froze.
The frenzied Jinu women remained stiff, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster also stayed in its position, about to climb the chain, as if under a binding spell, unable to move.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath. Heaven had been kind; his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the monster’s head. A spray of yellow liquid shot up, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell backward with a thud, collapsing into a pile of mush. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the Jinu women rapidly withered, their round bellies deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing downward.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere. The octagonal platform in the center was covered in cracks and then instantly shattered, sinking into the pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, spinning rapidly like a giant black eye.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The tomb’s eye has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they scrambled toward the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, snapping the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, swinging high with the force of inertia.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain, flying with it, about to smash into the wall and turn into paste. In panic, he let go, falling from mid-air and rolling on the ground in a protective stance. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Er Lai Zi wailed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cave with roaring water. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung from the ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly; it would soon be submerged.
Tian Guoqiang said anxiously, “Dashao, let’s run! If we stay here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic. Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right. This is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Er Lai Zi carried him. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and then stayed in the water, floating as it rose.
The water in the cave kept rising, and the four struggled to stay afloat. The holes in the ceiling grew closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was feeling exhausted. Zhang Enpu choked on water several times, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, pulling him up repeatedly.
Amid the roaring water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on! We’re almost there!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them toward it.
Liu Dashao kicked hard, shooting out of the hole. Everything was dark, his head spinning. He could only hear the gurgling water. His chest felt blocked, and he was running out of air. He felt like he was about to die, drifting like a fish on the verge of death.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, a bright light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for him to open his eyes.
He kicked backward, hitting something that felt like a rock. With that kick, Liu Dashao surfaced, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
It was already bright outside, the morning sun piercing through the mist, sparkling on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Er Lai Zi clutched his head, cursing, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he had kicked might have been Bai Er Lai Zi’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it; otherwise, Bai Er Lai Zi would kill him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao looked around. They were floating in a stream flowing from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore. The low-lying area by the shore was covered in water plants, and beneath them were numerous holes—likely the dens of musk rats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and they were all soaked, shivering in the wind. Liu Dashao and the others were still sturdy, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was in bad shape. His lips were purple, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D…Dashao…is there…any way…to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But they were all soaked, and without matches, they couldn’t start a fire. The only option was to exercise vigorously to get their blood circulating and warm up.
Though Liu Dashao knew it wasn’t the best solution, they had no other choice. To avoid catching a cold, they tied their clothes around their waists and began “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt surprisingly good, the wind cooling their skin while allowing it to absorb nutrients from the air. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of exercise was only suitable in remote areas; doing it in public would be considered indecent. But here, it was a return to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running for miles, they were all sweating, their faces no longer pale but flushed with warmth. However, the run had drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should do this every morning?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you’d better not!”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Everyone had escaped the formation and could now hear Bai Er Lai Zi’s voice again.
Bai Er Lai Zi was over there, shooting at the spirit mediums who were climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “Damn it, what the hell did you summon? Why are there so many of them?”
Liu Dashao thought that this couldn’t go on forever; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these spirit mediums. The monster was already stepping on them, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao was frantic, thinking, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the giant oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the spirit mediums had surfaced after the drumming. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these spirit mediums and the monster?
As more and more spirit mediums rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Er Lai Zi were almost overwhelmed, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his celestial master sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back towards the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum and used the butt of his gun to sweep off the spirit mediums on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gun butt and forcefully thrust it into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the heavy gun butt plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air suddenly surged, and everything froze in that instant.
The frenzied spirit mediums stiffened, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster also remained in its climbing position, as if under a paralysis spell, unable to move at all.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath; heaven had been kind to him, and his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the center of the monster’s head. A spray of yellow liquid shot up, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell straight back, crashing onto the platform and turning into a pile of mush. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the spirit mediums rapidly withered, their round bellies shrinking down until they deflated like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing down.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere with a loud noise. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool was covered in cracks and then instantly shattered, slowly sinking into the blood pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, spinning rapidly like a giant black eye.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The eye of this ancient tomb has been destroyed; it could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they quickly crawled towards the shore. A sharp stalactite fell with a thud, breaking the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, and the strong inertia sent it swinging high.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain and was flung into the air. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling from mid-air and rolling on the ground in a protective posture. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Er Lai Zi wailed.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Several explosions were heard, and water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cave with a roaring torrent. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung from the cave ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly, and soon it would be completely submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! If we stay here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment and pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic, look! The walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Er Lai Zi carried him again. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and then stayed quietly in the water, floating as the current carried them.
The cave filled with more and more water, and the four kept paddling to stay afloat. The holes in the ceiling grew closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was starting to feel exhausted. Zhang Enpu choked on water several times, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, lifting him up repeatedly.
Amidst the roaring water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on, everyone! We’re almost at the dawn of revolution!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them towards the opening.
Liu Dashao shouted, kicked hard in the water, and was the first to shoot out of the hole. Everything was pitch black, and his head was spinning. All he could hear was the gurgling of water. His chest felt blocked, and he was suffocating. With less and less oxygen, Liu Dashao felt like he was about to die, drifting like a dying fish.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, a bright light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked his legs back, and one foot seemed to hit something hard. Using that kick, Liu Dashao burst out of the water, gasping for air and wiping the water from his face.
Outside, it was already bright, with the morning sun piercing through the mist, casting shimmering light on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Er Lai Zi clutched his head and cursed, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and my movements were already clumsy. Just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he thought he had kicked might have been Bai Er Lai Zi’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it; otherwise, Bai Er Lai Zi would have killed him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao looked around. They were floating in a stream flowing down from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore, where low-lying areas were covered in water grass. Pushing aside the grass, they saw many holes in the wetlands, likely the dens of muskrats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and everyone was still wet from the water. The mountain wind made them shiver. Liu Dashao and the others were still sturdy, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was in bad shape. His lips were blue, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered and said, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! At worst, in five hundred years, we’ll be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D…Dashao…is there…any way…to…warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But everyone was soaked, and they didn’t even have matches to start a fire. The only option was to exercise vigorously, which would speed up blood circulation and keep them warm.
Though Liu Dashao knew his suggestion wasn’t ideal, they couldn’t think of anything else. To prevent catching a cold, they all tied their clothes around their waists and started “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt good; the wind was cool on their skin, and they could better absorb nutrients from the air. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of exercise could only be done in deserted areas; doing it in public would be indecent. But here, it was called returning to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running for miles, everyone was sweating, and their faces turned rosy, no longer pale and blue. However, the run drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning from now on?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you dare to streak?”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer—he had to take the risk. If this didn’t work, then it was simply fate’s decree.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back toward the giant ox-hide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted frantically from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back—it’s dangerous!”
Everyone had escaped the formation and could now hear Bai Er Lai Zi’s voice again.
Bai Er Lai Zi was over there, shooting at the Jinu women climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “Damn it, what the hell did you summon? Why are there so many?”
Liu Dashao knew that this couldn’t go on forever; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these Jinu women. The monster was already stepping on the Jinu women, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao was frantic, thinking, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the huge oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the oxhide drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the Jinu women had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these Jinu women and the monster?
Seeing more and more Jinu women rushing ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Er Lai Zi were barely holding on, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his celestial master’s sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back towards the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum, using the gunstock to sweep off the Jinu women on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think; Liu Dashao raised the gunstock and forcefully thrust it into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the heavy gunstock plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air surged, and everything suddenly froze.
The frenzied Jinu women remained stiff, as if frozen, completely motionless. The monster also stayed in its position, about to climb the chain, as if under a binding spell, unable to move an inch.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao standing on the oxhide drum in confusion, while Liu Dashao took a deep breath, grateful that his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the center of the monster’s head. A burst of foul yellow liquid splattered high, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell straight back, crashing onto the platform and turning into a pile of mush. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the Jinu women rapidly withered, their round bellies shrinking down, eventually deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing down.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to swirl violently, splashing and making loud noises. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool was covered in cracks, and it instantly shattered, gradually sinking into the blood pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, like a giant black eye spinning rapidly.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The tomb’s eye has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they quickly crawled towards the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, snapping the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, its strong inertia causing it to swing high.
Liu Dashao, tightly gripping the chain, was also flung into the air. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling from mid-air and rolling on the ground in a protective stance before stopping. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Er Lai Zi wailed.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Several explosions were heard, and water dragons burst through the walls, flooding the cave. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung upside down from the cave ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly; it would soon be submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! If we stay here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic! Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Er Lai Zi carried him. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load, then stayed quietly in the water, floating as the water rose.
The water in the cave kept rising, and the four kept paddling, trying not to sink. The holes in the ceiling got closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was feeling exhausted. Zhang Enpu choked on water several times, but Liu Dashao kept pulling him up.
Amid the sound of rushing water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on! We’re almost there!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them towards it.
Liu Dashao kicked hard, shooting out of the hole. Everything was dark, his head spinning, and he could only hear the gurgling of water. His chest felt blocked, and he was running out of air, feeling like he was about to die, drifting like a dying fish.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he was crossing into the underworld, light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked back, feeling like he hit something, and with that kick, he surfaced, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
It was already bright outside, the morning light piercing through the mist, shimmering on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Er Lai Zi, holding his head, cursed, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, already clumsy, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he thought he kicked might have been Bai Er Lai Zi’s head.
Of course, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to admit it; Bai Er Lai Zi would kill him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao looked around. They were floating in a stream flowing down from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore, where low-lying areas were filled with water plants. Pushing aside the plants, they saw many holes in the wetlands, likely the dens of muskrats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and they were all wet, shivering in the wind. Liu Dashao and the others were still sturdy, but Zhang Enpu, older, was freezing, his lips turning purple, teeth chattering like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang, shivering, said, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D… Dashao… is there… any way… to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But they were all wet, with no matches, so starting a fire was out of the question. The only option was to exercise vigorously, which would speed up blood circulation and warm them up.
Though Liu Dashao knew it wasn’t the best solution, they had no other choice. To prevent catching a cold, they all tied their clothes around their waists and started “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt good, the wind cooling their skin, and their bodies absorbing nutrients from the air. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of activity could only be done in the wilderness; doing it in public would be indecent, but here, it was returning to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running for miles, they were all sweating, their faces flushed, no longer pale. However, the run drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang, panting, said, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you dare to streak?”
Zhang Enpu blushed, quickly covering himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Suddenly, an invisible wave rippled through the air, and in that instant, everything froze.
Everyone had escaped the formation and could now hear Bai Erlai’s voice again.
Bai Erlai was over there, shooting at the Jinu climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “What the hell did you summon? Why are there so many of them?”
Liu Dashao knew this couldn’t go on; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these Jinu. The monster was already stepping on the Jinu, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao thought anxiously, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the huge oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the oxhide drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the Jinu had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these Jinu and the monster?
As more and more Jinu rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Erlai were barely holding on, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his Heavenly Master Sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned and crawled back toward the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum, using the gunstock to sweep off the Jinu on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gunstock and forcefully thrust it into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the thick gunstock plunged deep into the drum. Suddenly, an invisible wave of air surged, and everything froze in that instant.
The frenzied Jinu remained stiff, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster, too, was stuck in the act of climbing the chain, as if under a paralysis spell, unable to move.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao standing on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath; heaven had been kind to him, and his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the monster’s head. A spray of yellow fluid shot up, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell backward with a thud, collapsing into a pile of mush. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the Jinu rapidly withered, their round bellies deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing downward.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool cracked and then shattered, sinking into the pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, spinning rapidly like a giant black eye.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites began to fall from the ceiling, and the entire cave started to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore! The tomb’s eye has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one hesitated, dodging falling rocks as they scrambled toward the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, snapping the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly slackened, swinging high into the air.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain, flying with it. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling to the ground and rolling several times before stopping. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Erlai wailed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cave with torrents of water. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung from the ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly; it would soon be submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! If we stay here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the ceiling, “Don’t panic! Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Erlai carried him again. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and then stayed in the water, floating as it rose.
The water in the cave kept rising, and the four kept paddling to stay afloat. The holes in the ceiling grew closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao was starting to feel exhausted. Zhang Enpu had swallowed several mouthfuls of water, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, pulling him up repeatedly.
Amid the sound of rushing water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on! We’re almost there!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force sucked them in, dragging them toward it.
Liu Dashao kicked hard, propelling himself out of the hole. Everything was dark, and his head felt heavy. All he could hear was the gurgling of water. His chest felt blocked, and he was running out of air, feeling like he was about to die, drifting like a dying fish.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, a bright light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim light in the cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked backward, his foot hitting something hard. Using that force, he broke the surface, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
It was already bright outside, with the morning sun piercing through the mist, casting shimmering light on the water.
One by one, heads emerged from the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Erlai clutched his head, cursing, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he had kicked might have been Bai Erlai’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it; Bai Erlai would have killed him.
Once their eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao surveyed the surroundings. They were floating in a stream flowing from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore, where low-lying areas were filled with water grass. Pushing aside the grass, they saw many holes in the wetland, likely the dens of muskrats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and they were all wet, shivering in the wind. Liu Dashao and the others were still strong, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was worse off. His lips were purple, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered, “Dashao, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D-Dashao… is there… any way… to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But they were all wet, and without matches, starting a fire was impossible. The only option was to exercise vigorously to get their blood circulating and warm up.
Though Liu Dashao knew his suggestion wasn’t ideal, they had no other choice. To prevent catching a cold, they all stripped and tied their clothes around their waists, then started “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt good; the wind was cool on their skin, and they could better absorb the nutrients in the air. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of activity was only suitable in deserted areas; doing it in public would be indecent, but here, it was called returning to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running several miles, they were all sweating, their faces flushed and no longer pale. However, the run had drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you dare to streak?”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
“What’s going on?” Everyone stared in confusion at Liu Dashao standing atop the giant drum, while Liu Dashao exhaled deeply, thanking his lucky stars—his hunch had been spot on.
Everyone had escaped the magical array, and now they could hear Bai Er Lazi’s voice again.
Bai Er Lazi was over there, shooting at the female mediums climbing ashore with his shotgun, cursing as he fired, “What the hell did you summon? Why are there so many of them?”
Liu Dashao knew that this couldn’t go on; sooner or later, they would be devoured by these mediums. The monster was already stepping on the mediums, slowly climbing up. Liu Dashao was frantic, thinking, “Damn, what should we do now?”
He glanced back and suddenly saw the giant oxhide drum hanging in mid-air. A bold idea popped into his head. Earlier, it was after the drum sounded that the corpses had mutated, and the mediums had surfaced after the drumbeat. Could it be that the oxhide drum was the key to controlling these mediums and the monster?
As more and more mediums rushed ashore, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Er Lazi were barely holding on, and even Zhang Enpu had drawn his Taoist sword to join the fight.
Liu Dashao knew he couldn’t wait any longer; he had to take the risk. If it didn’t work, then it was fate.
With that thought, he turned around and crawled back toward the oxhide drum.
Tian Guoqiang shouted from the front, “Dashao, what are you doing? Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Liu Dashao quickly climbed onto the oxhide drum, using the gunstock to sweep away the mediums on top. At that moment, the monster’s rotten hand bones had already grabbed the iron chain. There was no time to think. Liu Dashao raised the gunstock and forcefully thrust it into the center of the oxhide drum. With a tearing sound, the thick gunstock plunged deep into the drum. An invisible wave of air surged, and everything suddenly froze.
The frenzied mediums stiffened, as if frozen, not moving an inch. The monster also remained in its climbing position, as if under a spell, unable to move.
“What’s going on?” Everyone looked at Liu Dashao standing on the oxhide drum in confusion. Liu Dashao took a deep breath; heaven had been kind to him, and his guess had been correct.
He raised his shotgun and hurled it into the monster’s head. A burst of foul yellow liquid splattered high, and the vibrant flower bud quickly withered. The monster fell backward with a thud, collapsing into a pile of mush on the platform. Then, with a sizzling sound, all the mediums rapidly withered, their round bellies deflating like balloons.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! A fierce sound of water came from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing downward.
The water in the blood pool suddenly began to churn violently, splashing everywhere. The octagonal platform in the center of the pool cracked and then shattered, sinking into the pool. A black vortex appeared in the center, spinning rapidly like a giant black eye.
Thud! Thud!
Stalactites kept falling from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell onto the oxhide drum.
What’s happening? An earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted, “Everyone, get to the shore and take cover! The tomb’s core has been destroyed; this place could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared to delay, dodging falling rocks as they quickly crawled toward the shore. A sharp stalactite fell, snapping the iron chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, swinging high with great force.
Liu Dashao clung to the chain and was flung into the air. Just as he was about to crash into the wall and turn into paste, he let go in panic, falling from mid-air. He rolled on the ground in a protective posture and finally stopped. Though unhurt, he was dazed and couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Er Lazi wailed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several water dragons burst through the cave walls, flooding the cave with roaring water. Everyone stood on the shore, mouths agape at the spectacle. The water dragons hung upside down from the ceiling, pouring down and drenching everyone.
The water level in the cave rose rapidly; it would soon be submerged.
Tian Guoqiang anxiously said, “Dashao, let’s run! Staying here, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao observed for a moment, then pointed to the cave ceiling, “Don’t panic! Look, the walls have been breached by the water. If we stay in the water until the cave fills up, we can swim out through the holes in the ceiling!”
Zhang Enpu agreed, “Dashao is right; this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a poor swimmer, so Bai Er Lazi carried him. They discarded everything they could to lighten their load and then stayed in the water, floating as it rose.
The water in the cave kept rising, and the four struggled to stay afloat. The holes in the ceiling grew closer and closer.
After being in the water for so long, Liu Dashao felt his strength waning. Zhang Enpu choked on water several times, but Liu Dashao held onto his arm, lifting him repeatedly.
Amid the roaring water, Liu Dashao shouted, “Hold on! We’re almost there!”
After a while, they reached the hole. An invisible force pulled them in, dragging them toward the exit.
Liu Dashao kicked hard with his legs and was the first to shoot out of the hole. Everything was dark, his head spinning. He could only hear the gurgling water, feeling like his chest was blocked, suffocating him. His oxygen was running out; he felt like he was dying, drifting like a fish on the brink of death.
In that short time, it felt like he had gone through a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the underworld, light suddenly appeared. Accustomed to the dim cave, the sudden brightness made it hard for Liu Dashao to open his eyes.
He kicked backward, hitting something hard. With that kick, he broke the surface, gasping for air and wiping water from his face.
Outside, it was already bright. The morning sun pierced through the mist, sparkling on the water.
One by one, heads popped out of the water, followed by coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Er Lazi clutched his head, cursing, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, and just as I was about to surface, someone kicked me in the head, almost drowning me! Who the hell kicked me?”
Liu Dashao suddenly realized that the “rock” he had kicked might have been Bai Er Lazi’s head.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to admit it; otherwise, Bai Er Lazi would kill him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Liu Dashao surveyed the surroundings. They were floating in a stream flowing down from the mountains, surrounded by hills. The stream wasn’t wide, and they quickly swam to the shore, where low-lying areas were filled with water plants. Pushing aside the plants, they saw many holes in the wetlands—likely the dens of muskrats.
One by one, they climbed onto the shore. The morning forest was chilly, and they were all wet. The mountain wind made them shiver. Liu Dashao and the others were still sturdy, but Zhang Enpu, being older, was in bad shape. His lips were blue, and his teeth chattered like he was cracking beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered and said, “Dashao, we really owe you this time. If it weren’t for your bold idea, we’d still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No big deal! In five hundred years, we might be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a good price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D-Dashao… is there… any way… to warm up?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao knew he was freezing. But they were all wet, and without matches, they couldn’t start a fire. The only option was to exercise vigorously to get their blood flowing and warm up.
Though Liu Dashao knew his suggestion wasn’t ideal, they had no better options. To avoid catching a cold, they tied their clothes around their waists and started “streaking” through the misty forest.
Streaking felt refreshing; the wind was cool on their skin, and they absorbed the nutrients in the air better. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, this kind of activity was only suitable in deserted areas; doing it in public would be indecent. But here, it was a return to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked well. After running for miles, they were all sweating, their faces flushed and no longer pale. However, the run had drained their remaining energy, and they could barely move.
Tian Guoqiang panted, “Dashao, maybe we should streak every morning from now on?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you dare to streak?”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his would probably be mistaken for a AA battery.
Tian Guoqiang gave Liu Dashao a thumbs-up, sincerely exclaiming, “Brother, you’re amazing!”
Splash! Splash! A loud splashing sound erupted from the blood pool below.
“Look!” Zhang Enpu shouted, pointing downward.
Suddenly, the blood-red water began swirling violently, splashing in all directions. Cracks appeared across the octagonal platform in the center of the pool, which then shattered and gradually sank into the crimson depths. A black vortex formed in the center of the blood pool, spinning like a giant black eye.
Flap! Flap!
Stalactites rained down from above, and the entire cave began to shake violently. Liu Dashao stumbled and fell flat on his back atop the ox-hide drum.
What was happening? Was it an earthquake?
Zhang Enpu shouted loudly, “Everyone, get to the shore quickly! The tomb’s core has been destroyed—it could collapse at any moment!”
No one dared delay. Dodging falling rocks, they scrambled toward the shore. A sharp stalactite crashed down, snapping the chain. The taut chain suddenly loosened, swinging violently upward from the force.
Liu Dashao clung tightly to the chain, soaring into the air. He was about to slam into the rock wall along with it, certain to be crushed into paste. In a panic, he let go, tumbling through the air before landing in a protective roll. He rolled several times before stopping. Though unharmed, his vision swam with stars, and he couldn’t get up for a while.
“What do we do now? What do we do?” Bai Erlaizi wailed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Several thunderous explosions echoed, and torrents of water burst through the cave walls, flooding the chamber in roaring waves. The group stood at the edge of the shore, mouths agape, watching the cascading waterfalls pour down from the cave ceiling, drenching them all.
The water level inside the cave rose rapidly—it would soon be completely submerged.
Tian Guoqiang cried anxiously, “Dashao, we need to run! If we stay, we’ll drown!”
Liu Dashao studied the situation for a moment, then pointed upward. “Don’t panic, everyone. Look—there are several holes in the cave ceiling where the water has broken through. If we stay in the water until it fills the cave, we can swim out through those holes!”
Zhang Enpu nodded. “Dashao is right—this is our only chance to escape!”
Among the four, only Zhang Enpu was a weak swimmer. The others were passable, so Bai Erlaizi carried Zhang Enpu on his back. They discarded everything they could to reduce weight and then stayed in the water, floating upward with the rising current.
The water kept rising. The four paddled desperately to keep from sinking. The holes in the cave ceiling grew closer and closer.
After a long time in the water, Liu Dashao was beginning to tire. Zhang Enpu had swallowed several mouthfuls of water, but Liu Dashao held tightly to his arm, lifting him up again and again.
Amid the roaring water, Liu Dashao shouted at the top of his lungs, “Hold on, everyone! We’re almost there—revolutionary dawn is near!”
After a while, they reached the opening. An invisible force suddenly pulled them toward the hole, dragging them rapidly forward.
With a loud shout, Liu Dashao kicked hard with his legs and was the first to shoot out through the hole in the cave ceiling. Darkness enveloped his vision. His head felt heavy and dizzy, and all he could hear was the gurgling of water. His chest felt constricted, suffocating. His oxygen was running out, and Liu Dashao felt as though he were dying—like a fish gasping for air.
In what felt like a short time, he seemed to experience a long cycle of life and death. Just as he thought he had crossed into the gates of hell, a sudden brightness appeared. The sudden glare, so different from the cave’s dimness, momentarily blinded him.
He kicked hard with his legs. One kick felt like it struck something hard—perhaps a rock. Using that force, Liu Dashao burst through the water’s surface with a splash, wiping water from his face and gasping for fresh air.
Outside, it was already dawn. Morning light pierced through the mist, shimmering on the water’s surface.
One by one, heads emerged from the water, followed by loud coughing and heavy breathing.
Bai Erlaizi clutched his head and cursed, “Damn it! I was carrying the old Taoist, so I was already slow enough. Just when I was about to surface, someone kicked me on the head and nearly drowned me! Who the hell did that?”
A sudden realization struck Liu Dashao—had the “rock” he kicked actually been Bai Erlaizi’s head?
Of course, he had no intention of admitting it. Otherwise, Bai Erlaizi would surely kill him.
Once his eyes adjusted to the daylight, Liu Dashao began to examine the surroundings. They were floating in a stream flowing down from the mountains. On either side were hills, and they were all in a valley. The stream wasn’t wide—within moments, they all swam to the shore. Low-lying wetlands along the bank were covered in water plants. Brushing aside some, they could see many burrows—clearly the nests of muskrats.
One by one, the four climbed onto the muddy bank. The morning mountain breeze was chilly, and their soaked clothes made them shiver. Liu Dashao and the others were relatively strong, but the older Zhang Enpu was in bad shape. His lips were blue, and his teeth chattered like he was grinding beans.
Tian Guoqiang shivered as he said, “Dashao, thank you so much. Without your bold idea, we might still be trapped in that emperor’s tomb!”
“No problem! At worst, in five hundred years, we’d be dug up as ancient corpses and sold for a high price!” Liu Dashao joked.
“D…Dashao…d…do you have…a…a better way…to keep…warm?” Zhang Enpu stammered, his face turning purple.
Seeing Zhang Enpu’s condition, Liu Dashao realized he was dangerously cold. But with all their clothes soaked and no matches, lighting a fire was impossible. The only option was exercise—physical activity would increase blood circulation and warm them up.
Though Liu Dashao knew it wasn’t the best idea, under the circumstances, it was the only one. To prevent illness from the cold, all four took off their wet clothes, tied them around their waists, and began running through the misty forest, shouting commands as they went.
The sensation of running naked was oddly pleasant—the cool breeze against their bare skin felt refreshing, and their skin could better absorb the air’s nutrients. They ran like wild men through the forest. Of course, such a method was only suitable for uninhabited areas. Doing it in a populated area would make them criminals, but here, it was simply returning to nature.
Liu Dashao’s idea worked surprisingly well. After running several miles, sweat beaded all over their bodies, their faces flushed red instead of pale and lifeless. But the exertion had drained their remaining strength, and they felt as though their legs were filled with lead, barely able to move.
Gasping for breath, Tian Guoqiang said, “Dashao, maybe we should do this every morning?”
Liu Dashao glanced at Tian Guoqiang’s lower body and scoffed, “With your size, you still dare to run around naked?”
Zhang Enpu blushed and quickly covered himself with his clothes. If Tian Guoqiang’s size was laughable, his own might make others mistake it for a AA battery.
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