At this moment, Fan Debiao leisurely adjusted his backpack, took out a piece of dry food, bit into it, and while chewing, mumbled unclearly, “Who can turn back now? Let’s stop the nonsense. First, let’s fill our stomachs and keep moving forward.”
Cai Qingchong chuckled and said, “You’re right. Xiao Tai makes sense. I’m hungry too. It feels like we’ve been running nonstop without a moment to eat. Master Liu, how about we take a brief break to deal with our hunger and rest a bit?”
At this moment, whether it was Young Master Liu or Imperial Scholar Jia, everyone seemed to suddenly feel a wave of relaxation.
Imperial Scholar Jia smiled gently and softly said, “Yes, I’m hungry too. Let’s rest here briefly. There’s still much uncertainty ahead.”
So, everyone sat down on the ground, took out food and water, and stopped talking about the imminent dangers and unpredictable future. They began this rare and brief respite.
As Young Master Liu held his dry food, he suddenly thought of Yang Weidong, who had recently sacrificed his life. A wave of grief swept over him. He wondered how many more unknown dangers this mission might hold. The closer they got to the truth of the Ninety-Nine Heavens, the more anxious he felt. Who exactly was this Zhang Daoling? In Liu’s mind, he had already largely concluded that this person must be from another world. He recalled the old man’s words from the Solar Mirage: “The time and space I come from is also in chaos, just like what you Earthlings call the coexistence of good and evil. Therefore, there are now many more people with special abilities on Earth, some good and some evil. Be careful when you encounter them.”
The broken limbs hidden inside the Buddha statue, the worm puppets inside pregnant women’s bellies, water monsters like the plesiosaur, evil spirits in haunted houses, map traps, dire wolves, corpse-wrapping techniques, and venomous insects—all of these revealed the cruel and sinister nature of the creator of the Ninety-Nine Heavens. Liu was convinced that Zhang Daoling must be an evil being from another world. Thinking of this, Liu held his dry food, but suddenly felt as if something was stuck in his throat, making it impossible to swallow.
Imperial Scholar Jia had been watching Liu closely and sensed the change in his mood. Gently patting Liu’s shoulder, he whispered, “Little Liu, that’s just how the world is. Often, you know a path could be abandoned, but you have no choice but to keep going.”
Liu silently nodded, forcefully shoved the dry food into his mouth, and prepared himself for the unknown journey ahead. Looking at the familiar, lively faces before him, Liu felt much calmer.
After resting for about half an hour, everyone continued discussing the peculiarities of the “Infinite Dao Treasury,” including the disappearance of their supernatural abilities. Naturally, since they had decided to continue forward, they needed to face the strange plants, animals, and insects they might encounter as they descended into the basin.
At this moment, Liu thought that the strange scenery here bore some resemblance to the Three Purity Transmission Platform. The world below was a junction between another dimension and Earth, not truly a part of Earth itself, and danger was bound to exist.
Liu suggested everyone check their weapons. Ammunition was now nearly depleted, and the loss of their Daoist abilities was a serious setback. After discussion, they decided to enter the Infinite Dao Treasury as quickly as possible to minimize the potential threats posed by these strange plants and animals.
Once prepared, they followed the colorful crystal stone path toward the basin where the Infinite Dao Treasury was located. The path was very winding, twisting through the strange jungle of the basin. The group ran quickly, and the bizarre flora and fauna around them whizzed past in a blur.
They couldn’t help but feel relieved—apparently, these creatures from another dimension weren’t as dangerous as they had imagined.
They continued running forward. The deep, winding trail appeared and disappeared among the dense jungle ahead. Just as they felt the Infinite Dao Treasury must be near, suddenly, as they turned a corner, a magical lake shimmering with multicolored light appeared before them. This was a place hidden deep in the jungle that they hadn’t noticed from above the basin.
The lake was unusually beautiful, its water a vivid turquoise blue, covered by a mysterious, multicolored glow that shimmered like a dream. And there, on the opposite shore of the lake, was the Infinite Dao Treasury.
The long, winding trail led straight to the lakeshore, then abruptly ended. Everyone stopped in their tracks, exchanging glances. They all understood—reaching the Infinite Dao Treasury would require crossing this mysterious lake.
But as they looked out over the vast lake, there wasn’t even a trace of a boat on its surface. Though the water was a deep blue, standing at the lakeshore, they couldn’t even see into the depths below. This was not like the water of Earth—it was blue, but not clear.
For a moment, everyone felt helpless. How could they cross? Even if there were boats, who knew what dangers lurked beneath this strange lake?
Fan Debiao muttered, “What do we do now? We can see the Infinite Dao Treasury right under our noses, but we can’t get across. I wonder if there’s any boat service here this time.”
Imperial Scholar Jia said, “This lake water seems different from Earth’s. We can’t find any tools to cross it. Going across the surface doesn’t seem feasible. The lake isn’t that large—we might be able to go around it through the jungle. It might be risky, but it’s the only option.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Though the jungle might hold dangers, the lake was an insurmountable natural barrier.
Just as they were about to move, suddenly, the lake’s surface rippled violently, and the multicolored glow above it flickered. Young Master Liu urgently warned, “Everyone, step back! Something’s coming out of the lake!”
The group quickly retreated from the lakeshore to the edge of the jungle, watching anxiously as the water began to change.
The ripples grew larger and larger, eventually forming a massive whirlpool at the lake’s center. The entire lake seemed to boil, churning violently. Everyone felt deep in their hearts that whatever was beneath must be a colossal, ferocious creature.
As they stood there, filled with anxiety and fear, suddenly there was a loud “BOOM!” from the lake. The water exploded from the center, and something leapt from the depths into the air.
At the sight of it, everyone was stunned. What they felt now was no longer just fear—it was an overwhelming sense of the impossible.
The creature soared into the sky, twisting and turning, then let out a thunderous roar that shook the heavens. At first glance, everyone knew what it was—Dragon. A real dragon, the mythical creature every Chinese person could vividly imagine. This was a dragon with a completely azure body, its massive scales glowing like blue gemstones, exuding a faint purple aura. Its eyes were blood-red, and its horns were a translucent blue like jade.
It twisted and turned in the sky, but something seemed to be restraining it. It tried several times to soar upward, but each time it seemed to hit an invisible barrier and fell back down, lashing the lake’s surface with its tail and letting out another deafening dragon roar.
Imperial Scholar Jia pointed at the lake and said, “Look at that seven-colored glow covering the lake—it’s what’s trapping the dragon inside. I wonder what kind of material that glow is. It’s incredible!”
At this moment, the initial fear and shock had faded, replaced by a sense of curiosity.
Fan Debiao stared in amazement, exclaiming, “Wow! This is the real dragon from legends! Who would’ve thought we’d actually see one! Tell me, do you think we might even see a Fenghuang later?”
Young Master Liu smiled and said, “It’s possible. Just looking at this dragon, we can forget any idea of crossing the lake. We’d probably just end up as its snack. Going around through the jungle might actually give us a chance to encounter the Fenghuang.”
Fan Debiao nodded excitedly.
Imperial Scholar Jia said, “The appearance of a real dragon is truly incredible. Could this dragon be from another dimension? Regardless, the dragon’s presence means this place may hold even more mysterious and dangerous creatures. We shouldn’t linger too long. We need to find a way into the Infinite Dao Treasury as soon as possible.”
Young Master Liu also voiced his agreement. Looking at the jungle filled with plants they had never seen before, everyone felt its eerie and unpredictable nature. The dragon’s appearance fascinated them, but it also hinted that this basin might hide even more unknown creatures—danger could strike at any moment.
Without another word, everyone reluctantly took one last look at the azure dragon still playing in the lake, then turned and followed the dense forest along the lakeshore to the right, hoping to reach the Infinite Dao Treasury as quickly as possible.
They didn’t dare walk too close to the lake’s edge—after all, a dragon lived there. Who knew what other dangers might come from the lake? If something suddenly burst out and dragged one of them into the water, it would be a disaster.
But the jungle was extremely close to the lakeshore. With no choice, they had to enter the edge of the jungle, moving away from the shore. As soon as they entered slightly, the situation became apparent—the trees were extremely tall and oddly shaped, densely packed. The ground was covered with countless shrubs and vines, leaving almost no clear path.
The dense vegetation covered the entire forest floor. To avoid hidden pits or venomous insects, they had to carefully test each step with their tools, slowly pushing through the undergrowth.
After struggling along the jungle’s edge for less than a hundred meters, suddenly a crisp birdcall rang out from not far away.
At first, they didn’t pay much attention, assuming it was just a bird in the jungle. But as more calls followed, they realized this bird’s song was unique—unlike any birdcall they had ever heard. It was melodious, long, and soothing, instantly making them feel relaxed and cheerful.
Everyone slowed their pace, curiously looking deeper into the jungle from where the sound came. Just then, another birdcall rang out—this one was more uplifting, stirring a sense of heroic passion in their chests.
They listened intently to the two different birdcalls, feeling a sense of wonder. Fan Debiao, wide-eyed with curiosity, said, “I wonder what kind of bird makes such beautiful sounds.”
Before he even finished speaking, the two birds suddenly sang together—clear, crisp, and like celestial music. Instantly, everyone felt as if a stream of fresh spring water had flowed through their hearts, bringing an indescribable sense of peace.
Young Master Liu listened closely, suddenly showing a delighted expression. “Could it be? Debiao might be right—where there’s a dragon, there must be a Fenghuang! Could these calls be from a pair of Fenghuangs?”
As everyone was talking, the birdcalls suddenly stopped, leaving everyone feeling a sense of loss. They had only heard the sound, never seen the birds. Whether or not they were the legendary auspicious birds, the Fenghuang, remained uncertain, and they couldn’t help but feel a little regret.
Slowly, they continued forward. Whether or not the birdcalls were truly from Fenghuangs, whether those birds were indeed the mythical Fenghuang, they had no time to investigate further. Fan Debiao sighed as he walked, saying, “It’s a real shame we didn’t get to see if those birds were really Fenghuangs.”
Young Master Liu chuckled and was about to say something when suddenly a cold wind blew from the side. From a towering tree that blocked out the sky, something massive seemed to stir. A gust of wind came from above, rushing downward toward them.
Cai Qingchong, who was closest to the tree, shouted loudly, “Watch out!” and quickly flipped backward, narrowly avoiding a sudden attack.
Everyone looked up. Fan Debiao shouted first, “What the heck is that? That’s one huge snake!”
A massive, colorful python had its tail wrapped around a thick branch, its entire body hanging down beneath the tree where Cai had just walked. Its enormous head was raised, staring at them, flicking its long tongue in and out. Its two blood-red eyes, like copper bells, glared at them furiously, clearly angry that its attack had failed. It was slowly slithering down the tree trunk. Its entire body was covered in multicolored scales, layered and overlapping, making a “clang, clang” sound as they scraped against the tree bark.
Fan Debiao and Cai Qingchong had always been close friends. Seeing Cai nearly become the snake’s meal made him furious. He raised his gun, aiming at the snake’s head, ready to fire.
At that moment, Imperial Scholar Jia quickly pushed the gun down and said, “Don’t act recklessly! Look at its scales. The sound it made when scraping against the tree proves its skin must be extremely hard. Your gunshot might not kill it, and if it gets angry, we’ll all be in trouble. Besides, this jungle is full of dangers. A gunshot might attract other unknown threats.”
As he spoke, the giant snake had already slithered down to the ground. Following Imperial Scholar Jia’s signal, everyone slowly stepped back, raising their weapons cautiously toward the snake. The snake, sensing the group’s numbers, coiled itself into a massive, circular ball on the ground, its large head facing them, hissing continuously, but not yet attacking.
Honestly, everyone was holding their breath, standing their ground. The jungle floor was covered with thick undergrowth and vines, completely engulfing their legs below the knees. Every step was extremely difficult, let alone trying to run. If they were on open ground, they might have been able to outrun the snake, but in this situation, there was no way they could outrun it. This creature was the undisputed king of the jungle, a true master of speed among the grass.
Now, neither side moved. What should they do? Everyone looked at Imperial Scholar Jia. He rolled his eyes slightly, then whispered, “Don’t look at me—I’m stuck too. This snake will attack instantly at the slightest movement. We can’t risk moving.”
Time ticked by. Everyone grew increasingly anxious. If this stalemate continued, when would it end?
Young Master Liu noticed sweat forming on Imperial Scholar Jia’s forehead. His small eyes blinked rapidly. Suddenly, as if making a decision, he slowly spread his arms, raised his dagger, and slowly lifted his right leg, as if preparing to take a step forward.
Cai Qingchong urgently whispered, “Master Jia, what are you doing?”
Jia frowned slightly, slowly lowered his leg, and turned to speak when suddenly the snake swiftly extended its massive body, turned, and climbed back up the tree it had come from, rapidly ascending.
Everyone was stunned. What was happening? Had the snake sensed some danger? Young Master Liu’s heart trembled. He quickly turned his head, scanning the surroundings. But everything was quiet—nothing seemed out of place. What was going on?
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the top of the towering tree. Then came the birdcalls again. Everyone was delighted to realize these were the same magical birdcalls they had heard before encountering the snake.
Before anyone could react, the main branch of the tree shook violently. The snake’s massive head appeared, and in a flash, it launched itself from the branch, lunging toward the group.
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