At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else instead of the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe Yin Changsheng has been deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens—he’s leading us into a deadly trap!”
Yang Weidong hesitated for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Master Jia and the others have already been surrounded by those creatures.”
Suddenly, Fan Debiao declared, “We have no other choice now. Let’s go forward together and assist Master Jia and the others.” He took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun strap and quickly followed behind, rushing toward the direction of Jia Yuanzhang and the others. They had run less than a hundred meters when they encountered an astonishing sight—within the passage, countless blue, teardrop-shaped objects emitted strange glows, continuously assembling into cylindrical forms that spun wildly and charged toward Liu Dashao and the other two.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded talismans infused with Daoist supreme energy, fending off the relentless attacks. Each time the blue cylindrical creatures approached, they were shattered by Liu’s talismanic seals, exploding into dazzling blue fragments resembling fireworks. However, the creatures merely scattered and soon reassembled, launching another wave of assault against the three.
Behind Liu Dashao, Cai Qingchong and Jia Yuanzhang stood anxiously, unable to offer any help. Jia had also run out of the glutinous rice he had been using against the creatures, which proved ineffective.
Seeing the others arrive, Jia Yuanzhang shouted, “I don’t know what these things are—they’re too bizarre! I suffered a serious blow.”
Seeing the others puzzled, he pointed to his chest. Everyone looked and saw a large portion of his chest area scorched as if burned by fire. Jia continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they lunged at me ferociously. Before I could react, I was hit in the chest and thrown to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames! Fortunately, Dashao rushed over and blocked their attack. Cai and I barely managed to put out the fire.” Everyone stared in shock at the battered Jia Yuanzhang, a deep sense of fear rising in their hearts—what exactly were these blue creatures? How could they possess such strange fiery energy?
At that moment, Liu Dashao blocked another wave of cylindrical creatures with a swing of his talisman and shouted, “Everyone, quickly retreat from this passage! I can’t hold them off much longer. If we stay, none of us will escape!”
Hearing Liu’s words, Jia Yuanzhang anxiously scratched his head but shouted back, “Little Liu, I would never abandon you!”
He turned to the others, his expression resolute, and said, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay behind and hold the line.”
Liu Dashao, still fending off attacks with his talismans, shouted angrily, “Old man, you must leave too! Fan Debiao, take them all and retreat—this is an order! Go! Go! Or we’ll all die here!” Tears streamed down everyone’s faces. Jia Yuanzhang, overcome with emotion, wept like a child, crouching down and covering his head.
Suddenly, Fan Debiao took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow the order—everyone, retreat with me immediately!”
Cai Qingchong, eyes blurred with tears, nodded firmly. Looking at Liu Dashao bravely fending off the blue creatures, he felt a surge of anger—could they only watch helplessly as this young man was left behind in this underground passage?
The group slowly withdrew from the passage. On both sides, dark, eerie tombs of varying heights lined the path. The heavy water lake remained eerily quiet. In the distance, they saw the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers flanking them.
Standing before the closed gates, everyone exchanged uncertain glances—how could they open them? At that moment, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao approaching, one hand pressed against his chest.
“Dashao, you’re here!” Fan Debiao was overjoyed and moved to embrace him, but Liu stopped him, “Hurry—we can’t hold them off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s face darkened, “I’ll go up the watchtower—the mechanism to open the gate must be there.” He started toward the steps.
Jia Yuanzhang nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and gestured to Cai, “Let’s go together—alone is too dangerous. Besides, I’m more familiar with hidden mechanisms.”
With that, the two of them climbed the steps toward the watchtower. Zhang Li quickly helped Master Zengfan to sit on a stone base near the gate.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Yuanzhang’s voice echoed from the watchtower, “I found the mechanism—everyone, get ready, I’m opening the gate!”
Liu Dashao responded loudly, “Alright, understood!” Soon after, with a deep, rumbling sound, the massive gates of the ancient underground city, sealed for perhaps centuries or even millennia, slowly creaked open.
What lay beyond the gates? Everyone wondered. Jia Yuanzhang had mentioned it should be a forest of stone stalactites. What kind of stalactite forest could it be? As the gates came to a halt with a metallic clang, the exit resembled the gaping mouth of a prehistoric beast, and beyond it—pitch blackness and silence.
Everyone waited near the gate for Jia and Cai to return. All eyes were fixed on the darkness outside when suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two distant red lights glowing faintly in the underground gloom—clear and bright.
He quickly alerted the others. As everyone turned their gaze toward the red lights, they flickered a few times and vanished into the abyss. Everyone was stunned—what could it be? A monster with glowing red eyes? Or glowing red gemstones? Or something else entirely? As they speculated, Jia and Cai descended from the watchtower.
Jia Yuanzhang said, “We saw a few red lights in the distance from the watchtower, but they disappeared quickly. We don’t know what they were. Once we leave the city, we should soon reach the stalactite forest—it should be quite large. Everyone must be cautious! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t fully rely on it. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao waved his hand, signaling that they could proceed. As they stepped through the gate, the vast underground space, illuminated only by their weak flashlights, appeared eerily vast and unsettling.
A cold wind blew intermittently, making Fan Debiao shiver. He whispered to Jia Yuanzhang, “Master Jia, I didn’t feel such a cold wind inside Fengdu. Why is it so much colder now, almost bone-piercing?”
Jia snorted, “Inside Fengdu, the tall walls and countless buildings blocked the wind. Of course, you didn’t feel it.”
Fan Debiao smiled sheepishly and continued walking. Everyone shivered from the cold. Jia added, “This underground space must be enormous. The cold is unlike any ordinary cave. We should move quickly and find shelter—it’ll be warmer.”
Hearing this, everyone quickened their pace. As everyone knows, when it’s cold, moving—like running—can warm you up. Using this logic, they began jogging to keep warm.
Soon, in the dim flashlight beams, they saw dark shapes rising ahead. Cai Qingchong shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s stone—many stones. It must be the stalactite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. First, it confirmed the map’s accuracy. Second, it meant shelter from the cold wind. At a kilometer underground, the cold was unbearable. They cautiously entered the stalactite forest. As soon as they entered, the cold wind lessened, and the biting chill vanished, replaced by warmth.
They shone their flashlights around. Whether this was nature’s work or the doing of the enigmatic Yin Changsheng was unclear. Within the stalactite forest, each stone was gray, uniquely shaped, and bizarre—yet all shared one feature: countless finger-thick holes resembling beehives.
Looking at the stones, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “We’re supposed to be at the base of the Guge ruins, a known extinct volcano. I’m not surprised about the underground space, but these gray stones are odd. Volcanic rock should be dark red or brown.”
Jia Yuanzhang chuckled, “Son, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can’t rely on normal reasoning anymore. As long as we reach our goal, it doesn’t matter.”
Cai nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a nearby stone. He shook his head, “I just hope these stones were placed here naturally.”
Liu Dashao overheard and asked, “You mean this stalactite forest might be deliberately arranged by Yin Changsheng? And it might hide some danger or trap?”
Cai nodded.
Jia Yuanzhang, hearing their conversation, felt uneasy. He took Cai’s flashlight and examined a stone closely. Suddenly, he shouted, “Bad! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao hurriedly asked, “Master Jia, what’s inside?”
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but is leading us to our doom.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly spoke up, “We have no choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed closely, rushing toward the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, the two of them saw a strange sight: countless blue droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually merging into cylindrical shapes that spun wildly and charged toward Liu Dashao and the other three.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his Taoist supreme energy, waving talismans in his hand to block the relentless waves of these blue cylindrical objects. Each time the blue cylinders approached, they were shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, these objects would only disperse momentarily before regrouping and launching another assault on the three.
Meanwhile, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to help. Jia Zhuangyuan had run out of glutinous rice, and it seemed he had already tried scattering it on these things to no avail.
Seeing the others approaching, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I don’t know what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered a lot from them.”
Seeing the confused looks on everyone’s faces, he pointed to his chest. They noticed that a large portion of his clothing had been scorched as if burned by fire. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they fiercely charged at me. Before I could react, they hit my chest, and I fell to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Fortunately, Dashao came over and blocked their continued attacks. Cai Qingchong and I barely managed to extinguish the fire on my chest.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan in shock, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such a mysterious fiery energy?
At this moment, Liu Dashao waved his talisman once again to block another attack from the cylindrical objects and shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out!”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but still shouted in response, “Young Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!”
He turned around with a determined look and said to the others, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, while waving his talisman, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, evacuate everyone. That’s an order! Go now! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” By now, everyone was weeping with grief and anger. Jia Zhuangyuan, tears streaming down his face, crouched down, hugging his head and sobbing like a child.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, tears blurring his vision, nodded firmly and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of indignation welled up in his heart. Were they really going to watch this young man be left behind forever in this underground passage?
The group slowly retreated from the passage. On both sides of the path were still the shadowy, varying heights of yin dwellings, and the heavy water lake remained eerily silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
Arriving at the city gate, they found it tightly shut. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. How were they supposed to open it? Just then, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were surprised to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you’re here!” Fan Debiao was overjoyed and was about to give him a bear hug, but Liu Dashao stopped him, saying, “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold those things off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gate must be up there.” With that, he headed toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and then waved to Cai Qingchong, saying, “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous for one person, and besides, I’m more familiar with these mechanisms.”
With that, he and Jiao Yiming began ascending the steps to the watchtower. Zhang Li quickly helped Zeng Fan Daoist sit down on a stone pedestal near the gate where a flagpole was placed.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice came from the watchtower. He shouted, “I’ve found the mechanism. Everyone, be ready. I’m opening the gate!”
Liu Dashao responded loudly, “Got it!” Shortly after, with a dull thud, the massive gate of the underground city, which had been sealed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, slowly creaked open with a loud rumble.
What kind of environment and scene awaited them outside the gate? This was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites outside. What would this forest look like? The gate stopped with a clang, and the exit now resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast, with darkness and silence stretching beyond.
The group waited for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black void outside the gate. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights appearing in the distance, glowing vividly in the underground darkness.
He quickly informed the others. As everyone turned their gaze toward the red lights, they flickered a few times and then vanished into the vast darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was there some kind of monster out there, with the red lights being its eyes? Or were they two red, glowing gemstones? Or perhaps… Everyone began to speculate. At this moment, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We’re not sure what they are. Once we leave the city, we should soon reach the stalagmite forest. It’s likely to be quite large, so everyone must be cautious! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao waved his hand, signaling that it was time to leave the city. As they stepped outside, the vast underground space once again appeared eerily empty and strange under the faint glow of their flashlights.
A cold wind occasionally brushed against them, causing Fan Debiao to shiver. He whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Senior Jia, in Fengdu Ghost City, I didn’t feel such a cold wind. Why is it so strong now, and why does it feel so bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan grunted and said, “In Fengdu Ghost City, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind, so of course, you wouldn’t feel cold.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued walking with the group. By now, everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “This underground space must be enormous. The cold wind here isn’t typical of ordinary underground caves. Let’s hurry and find some shelter. It’ll be much better once we’re out of the open.”
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, everyone quickened their pace. As the saying goes, when it’s cold, like in winter, running for a while will warm you up. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep themselves warm.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before they saw, under the light of their flashlights, numerous dark shapes standing on the ground ahead. Cai Qingchong, who was at the front, shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. It seems we’ve reached the stalagmite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description had been confirmed. Secondly, they would finally have some shelter from the underground cold wind. The underground space, a thousand meters below, was freezing. Carefully, they entered the stalagmite forest. As soon as they stepped inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the biting chill on their bodies vanished, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the stalagmite forest. It was unclear whether it was a masterpiece of nature or the result of the mysterious Yin Changsheng’s otherworldly abilities.
Inside the stalagmite forest, under the glow of their flashlights, every rock was gray, with each one taking on a unique, bizarre shape. The only common feature was that each rock was covered in densely packed, finger-sized holes. Looking at these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “Given that we’re now at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which we all know is a dormant volcano, I’m not surprised by the vast underground space. What’s strange is that these rocks are all gray. Normally, the rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or blackish-brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, along this journey, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can no longer rely on normal reasoning or conventional views to analyze or perceive things. Don’t overthink it. Our goal is to succeed, and that’s all that matters.”
Cai Qingchong nodded, deep in thought, and shone his flashlight on a massive rock beside him. Shaking his head, he said, “I’m just afraid these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao’s heart stirred, and he asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could be hiding some danger or scheme?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He asked Cai Qingchong for the flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Bad news! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan, with a look of panic, said, “It seems like there are many small insects inside. I suspect they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” Everyone exclaimed in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely and said, “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying sorcery used by the southern barbarians. Those infected by the gu will either be controlled by the caster or have their life force drained by the gu insects until they die.”
Fan Debiao, now visibly frightened, asked, “Damn it, what should we do?” Jia Zhuangyuan, pacing anxiously in circles, suddenly looked up and said, “Don’t worry too much. We’ve already entered the stalagmite forest, but so far, the gu insects inside the rocks haven’t awakened to attack us. I think it’s possible that, after thousands of years, these gu insects have died, or perhaps the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded and said, “Senior Jia is right. After a thousand years, these things couldn’t possibly still be alive. Maybe the gu insects have already died or disintegrated.”
The group found some comfort and reassurance in Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, and their panic gradually subsided. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map from his pocket, studied it for a while, and then took out a compass to determine their position. He then said to everyone, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a potential threat. Let’s hurry and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve pinpointed our location. We’ll head north, and once we’re out of the forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said to the group, “Let’s keep moving forward. For safety’s sake, we need to move quickly. Of course, while we’re moving, everyone must stay alert, watch out for each other, and report any sudden developments immediately.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward, grabbed Liu Dashao, and said, “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, and the two of them took the lead, with the rest following closely behind. They increased their pace and headed north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed past them as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction using the compass, as the countless rocks blocking their path forced them to navigate around many obstacles to maintain their northward course. However, deep down, everyone was still uneasy. The thought of the thousand-year-old gu insects lurking in the rock holes filled them with dread. No one could be certain that these gu insects were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of travel, just as the group paused nervously for Jia Zhuangyuan to adjust their direction, two red lights suddenly appeared not far ahead of them. In an instant, they vanished into the dense cluster of rocks. The appearance of these red lights startled everyone, and they immediately halted their advance. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. Everyone, be careful. We’re not sure where we are in the stalagmite forest or how large it is. We still have no idea of its boundaries.”
Liu Dashao then said, “When I saw those red lights flash, I felt a sense of unease, but it was only for a moment. I think whatever it is, it’s not simple. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something has been watching us, but I couldn’t pinpoint its location. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if my feeling was accurate, especially with all the gu insects in the holes, which also gave me a strange sensation…”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao suddenly interrupted him, shouting, “Dashao, stop trying to scare everyone! Don’t you think we’re already frightened enough?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao and said, “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling increasingly certain about this to bring it up now. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to mention it then?”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “That’s exactly what I mean. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger I feel that we’re being followed. That flash of red light just now made me extremely uncomfortable. I think those red lights belong to some living thing that’s tracking us.” Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, everyone grew more serious. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay fully alert. We’ll continue moving forward, and we’ll pick up the pace.”
Everyone nodded, and with Jia Zhuangyuan leading the way, they quickened their steps and pressed onward. Another long ten minutes passed as they nervously kept an eye on their surroundings, moving swiftly forward. When they rounded another massive gray rock blocking their path, they were delighted to see a gray, hill-like slope ahead, atop which stood a cluster of indigo buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan let out a cheer from the front and turned to the group, saying, “Everyone, hurry up. That should be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s spirits lifted. The stalagmite forest was almost behind them, and it wouldn’t take more than ten minutes for them to climb the slope and stand before the entrance to the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared in front of them. Jia Zhuangyuan, who was at the front, let out a startled cry and immediately turned back, shouting to the group, “Damn it, it’s tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was shocked. Tigers, living tigers, a thousand meters underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
“Chongzong?” everyone gasped.
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but to lead us to our deaths.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly declared, “We have no choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed closely, rushing toward the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, the two witnessed a bizarre scene: countless blue, droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually coalescing into cylindrical forms that spun wildly toward Liu Dashao and the others.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his supreme Taoist energy, using talismans to fend off wave after wave of these blue cylinders. Each time the blue cylinders approached, they were shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, the objects would only disperse momentarily before regrouping and launching another assault.
Meanwhile, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to help. Jia Zhuangyuan had already run out of glutinous rice, which he had apparently tried to use against these things, to no avail.
Seeing the others approaching, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I don’t know what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered greatly.” He pointed to his chest, where a large portion of his clothing appeared scorched as if by fire. He continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they lunged at me. Before I could react, they struck my chest, and I fell to the ground. My chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Thankfully, Dashao came to block their continued attacks. It took Cai Qingchong and me a while to extinguish the flames on my chest.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such mysterious fiery energy?
At that moment, Liu Dashao once again used his talismans to block an attack from the cylindrical objects and shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out!”
Hearing this, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but then shouted, “Young Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!” He turned to the others with a determined look and said, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, still waving his talismans, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, evacuate everyone. That’s an order! Go now! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” Tears of sorrow and anger streamed down everyone’s faces, and Jia Zhuangyuan, weeping like a child, crouched down, clutching his head.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, tears blurring his vision, nodded firmly and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of indignation welled up in his heart. Were they really going to leave this young man to perish in this underground passage?
The group slowly retreated from the passage, flanked by the shadowy, uneven structures of the yin dwellings. The heavy water lake remained eerily silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
As they approached the tightly shut city gates, everyone exchanged puzzled glances. How were they to open them? Just then, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you’re here!” Fan Debiao exclaimed with joy, about to embrace him, but Liu Dashao stopped him. “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold those things off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gates must be there.” He headed toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly to Liu Dashao and then waved to Cai Qingchong. “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous alone, and I’m more familiar with these mechanisms.” He and Jiao Yiming began ascending the steps to the watchtower. Meanwhile, Zhang Li helped Zengfan Daoist sit down on a stone pedestal near the gate.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice echoed from the watchtower. “I’ve found the mechanism. Everyone, be ready. I’m opening the gates!”
Liu Dashao shouted back, “Understood!” Soon, with a heavy thud, the massive gates of the underground city, sealed for hundreds or even thousands of years, slowly creaked open.
What lay beyond the gates? That was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites. What kind of stalagmite forest would it be? The gates clanged to a halt, and the exit resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast. Outside, there was only darkness and silence.
The group waited for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black void outside. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights flickering in the distance, stark and bright against the underground darkness.
He quickly informed the others. As everyone turned to look, the red lights flickered a few times and then vanished into the vast darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was it some kind of monster, its eyes glowing red? Or perhaps two red, glowing gemstones? The group speculated wildly. Just then, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We’re not sure what they are. Once we leave the city, we should reach a stalagmite forest soon. It’s likely quite large, so everyone must be cautious! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao gestured for the group to proceed out of the city. As they stepped through the gates, the vast underground space, illuminated by their weak flashlight beams, felt eerily empty and unsettling.
A cold wind occasionally brushed against them, causing Fan Debiao to shiver. He whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Senior Jia, I didn’t feel such a cold wind in Fengdu. Why is it so strong now, and so bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan grunted, “In Fengdu, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind, so you wouldn’t feel the cold.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued walking with the group. Everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “This underground space must be enormous. The cold wind isn’t typical of ordinary underground caves. Let’s hurry and find some shelter. It’ll be much better then.”
Hearing this, the group quickened their pace. As everyone knows, when it’s cold—like in winter—running for a while can warm you up quickly. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep themselves warm.
It didn’t take long before they saw, in the flashlight beams, numerous dark shapes standing on the ground ahead. Cai Qingchong, leading the way, shone his light and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. We must have reached the stalagmite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description was confirmed. Secondly, they would soon have shelter from the underground cold. The space a thousand meters below the surface was freezing. Cautiously, they entered the stalagmite forest. Once inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the biting chill vanished, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the forest. Whether it was a masterpiece of nature or the work of the enigmatic Yin Changsheng, it was impossible to tell.
Within the stalagmite forest, under the flashlight beams, every rock was gray, with varied and bizarre shapes. The only common feature was that each rock was covered in densely packed, finger-sized holes. Looking at these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “We’re at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which is a dormant volcano. I’m not surprised by the vast underground space, but it’s strange that these rocks are all gray. Normally, rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic on this journey. We can’t rely on normal reasoning or perspectives anymore. Let’s not overthink it. Our goal is to succeed, and that’s what matters.”
Cai Qingchong nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a massive rock nearby, shaking his head. “I’m just worried these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao’s heart stirred. He asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could hide some danger or scheme?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He asked Cai Qingchong for the flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan looked at everyone, his face pale with fear. “It seems like there are many small insects inside. I suspect they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” everyone exclaimed in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely. “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying sorcery of the southern barbarians. Those infected by the gu can be controlled by the caster or devoured by the gu insects.”
Fan Debiao, visibly frightened, asked, “Damn it, what do we do now?” Jia Zhuangyuan paced anxiously in circles before suddenly looking up and saying, “Let’s not panic. We’re already in the stalagmite forest, and so far, the gu insects inside the rocks haven’t awakened to attack us. I think it’s possible that after thousands of years, these gu insects have died, or the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded. “Senior Jia is right. A thousand years have passed. These things couldn’t possibly still be alive. The gu insects must have died or disintegrated by now.”
Reassured by Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, the group’s panic subsided, and they calmed down. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map, studied it for a moment, and then used a compass to determine their position. He said, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a potential threat. Let’s move quickly and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve located our position. We’ll head north, and once we’re out of the forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said to the group, “Let’s keep moving. For safety, we need to move swiftly. But everyone must stay alert, watch out for each other, and report any sudden developments.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward and grabbed Liu Dashao’s arm. “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao agreed, and the two took the lead, with the rest following closely. They increased their speed, heading north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed by as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction using the compass, as the countless rocks obstructed their path, forcing them to navigate around them to maintain a northerly course. Despite their progress, everyone remained uneasy, fearing the ancient gu insects in the rock holes. No one could be certain they were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of tense progress, the group paused to let Jia Zhuangyuan adjust their bearings. Suddenly, two red lights flickered in the distance ahead, then vanished into the dense rock formations. The lights startled everyone, and they halted. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. We need to be careful. We’re not sure where we are in the stalagmite forest or how large it is. We can’t see the edges yet.”
Liu Dashao added, “When I saw the red lights flash, I felt uneasy. It was just a moment, but I sensed that whatever it is, it’s not simple. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something is watching us, but I can’t pinpoint where. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, especially with all the gu insects in the holes.”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao interrupted, “Dashao, stop creating more tension! Aren’t we scared enough already?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao. “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling increasingly certain to bring this up now. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to mention it then?”
Liu Dashao nodded. “Exactly. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger I feel we’re being followed. The flash of those red lights made me extremely uneasy. I think they belong to some living creature tracking us.” Hearing this, everyone grew more serious. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay alert. We’ll keep moving forward, but we’ll pick up the pace.”
The group nodded and followed Jia Zhuangyuan, quickening their steps. Another tense ten minutes passed as they cautiously advanced, keeping an eye on their surroundings. When they rounded another massive gray rock, they were thrilled to see a gray slope rising like a small hill ahead, atop which stood a cluster of indigo buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan, leading the way, let out a cheer and turned to the group. “Everyone, hurry! That must be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s spirits lifted. They were almost out of the stalagmite forest. In less than ten minutes, they would ascend the slope and stand before the entrance to the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared ahead. Jia Zhuangyuan, at the forefront, cried out, “Ah! Tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was stunned. Tigers, alive and well, a thousand meters underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
Fan Debiao exclaimed, “Damn it! What do we do?”
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but to lead us to our doom.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly declared, “We have no choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed swiftly in the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, the two witnessed a bizarre sight: countless blue droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually coalescing into cylindrical shapes that spun wildly, charging toward Liu Dashao and his companions.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his supreme Taoist energy, using talismans to fend off wave after wave of these attacks. Each time the blue cylinders approached, they were shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, the objects merely dispersed and soon reassembled, launching another assault on the trio…
Meanwhile, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to assist. Jia Zhuangyuan had run out of glutinous rice, having already tried scattering it to no avail.
Seeing the others approach, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I have no idea what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered greatly.”
As everyone looked at him in confusion, he pointed to his chest. They saw that a large portion of his clothing appeared scorched, as if burned by fire. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they lunged at me fiercely. Before I could react, they struck my chest, and I fell to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Fortunately, Dashao came and blocked their continued attacks. It took Cai Qingchong and me a great effort to extinguish the fire on my chest.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such a mysterious and fiery energy?
At this moment, Liu Dashao once again used his talismans to block an attack from the cylindrical objects and shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out!”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but then shouted, “Young Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!”
He turned to the others with a determined look and said, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, still waving his talismans, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, evacuate everyone. That’s an order! Go now! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” Tears of sorrow and anger streamed down everyone’s faces. Jia Zhuangyuan, weeping like a child, crouched down, clutching his head.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, tears blurring his vision, nodded firmly and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of indignation filled his heart. Were they really going to leave this young man behind in this underground passage forever?
The group slowly retreated from the passage. On either side of the path, the dark, eerie structures of the yin dwellings loomed, and the heavy water lake remained unnervingly silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
Arriving at the city gates, they found them tightly shut. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. How were they to open the gates? Just then, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you made it!” Fan Debiao was overjoyed and moved to embrace him, but Liu Dashao stopped him. “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold those things off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gates must be there.” He started toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and then beckoned to Cai Qingchong. “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous alone, and I’m more familiar with the mechanisms.”
With that, he and Jiao Yiming headed toward the steps to the watchtower. Zhang Li quickly helped Zeng Fan, the Taoist master, to sit down on a stone pedestal near the gate where a flagpole was placed.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice echoed from the watchtower. “I’ve found the mechanism. Everyone, be ready. I’m opening the gates!”
Liu Dashao responded loudly, “Got it!” Shortly after, with a dull thud, the massive gates of the underground city, sealed for hundreds or even thousands of years, slowly creaked open.
What lay beyond the gates? That was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites. What kind of forest would it be? The gates clanged to a halt, and the exit resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast, with darkness and silence stretching beyond.
The group waited for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black void outside the gates. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights flickering in the distance, stark and vivid against the underground darkness.
He quickly informed the others. As everyone turned their gaze toward the red lights, they flickered a few times and then vanished into the vast darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was there some creature out there, its eyes glowing red? Or were they two red, glowing gemstones? Or perhaps… Everyone began to speculate. Just then, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We don’t know what they are. Once we leave the city, we should soon reach a forest of stalagmites. It’s likely to be quite extensive, so everyone must be cautious! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao waved his hand, signaling that it was time to leave the city. As they stepped through the gates, the vast underground space once again appeared eerily empty and strange under the dim light of their flashlights.
A cold wind occasionally brushed against them, causing Fan Debiao to shiver. He whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Senior Jia, in the City of Fengdu, I didn’t feel such a cold wind. Why is it so strong now, and so bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted softly. “In the City of Fengdu, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind. You wouldn’t feel the cold there.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued walking with the group. Everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan then said, “This underground space must be enormous. The cold wind here isn’t typical of ordinary underground caves. Let’s move quickly. Once we reach a sheltered area, it will be much better.”
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, everyone picked up the pace. As the saying goes, when it’s cold, like in winter, running for a while can quickly warm you up. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep their bodies warm.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before their flashlights revealed a cluster of dark shapes ahead. Cai Qingchong, leading the way, shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. It seems we’ve reached the stalagmite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description was confirmed. Secondly, they would finally have shelter from the underground cold. The space a thousand meters below was freezing. Carefully, they entered the stalagmite forest. Once inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the biting chill disappeared, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the forest. Whether it was a masterpiece of nature or the result of the enigmatic Yin Changsheng’s mysterious powers, they couldn’t tell.
Inside the stalagmite forest, under the flashlight beams, every rock was gray, each with a unique and bizarre shape. The only common feature was that each rock was covered in dense, finger-sized holes. Observing these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “Given that we’re at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which is a dormant volcano, I’m not surprised by the vast underground space. What’s strange is that these rocks are all gray. Normally, the rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or blackish-brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, along this journey, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can’t rely on normal reasoning or conventional views to understand them. Let’s not dwell on it. Our goal is to succeed, and that’s what matters.”
Cai Qingchong nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a nearby large rock, shaking his head. “I just fear that these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao’s heart stirred. He asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could harbor some danger or scheme?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He asked Cai Qingchong for the flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan looked at everyone, his face pale with fear. “It seems to be many small insects. I suspect they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” Everyone exclaimed in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely. “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying form of witchcraft used by the southern barbarians. Those afflicted by it can be controlled by the caster or have their life force drained by the gu insects.”
Fan Debiao, now visibly terrified, asked, “Damn it, what do we do?” Jia Zhuangyuan paced anxiously in circles, then suddenly looked up and said, “Let’s not panic. We’re already inside the stalagmite forest, and so far, the gu insects in the rocks haven’t awakened to attack us. I think it’s possible that after a thousand years, these gu insects have died, or the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded. “Senior Jia is right. A thousand years have passed. These things couldn’t possibly still be alive. The gu insects have likely died or disintegrated.”
Reassured by Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, everyone’s fear subsided, and they regained some composure. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map, studied it for a moment, and then used a compass to determine their position. He said to the group, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a potential threat. Let’s move quickly and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve pinpointed our location. We’ll head north, and once we leave the forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and addressed the group. “Let’s keep moving forward. For safety’s sake, we need to move swiftly. But remember, stay alert and look out for each other. If anything unexpected happens, report it immediately.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward and grabbed Liu Dashao. “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao agreed, and the two took the lead, with the rest following closely, increasing their speed as they headed north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed by as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction using the compass, as the numerous rocks obstructed their path, forcing them to navigate around many to maintain their northern course. Despite their progress, everyone remained uneasy, still wary of the ancient gu insects in the rock holes. No one could be certain that the insects were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of tense progress, as the group paused for Jia Zhuangyuan to adjust their direction, two red lights suddenly flickered ahead, then vanished into the dense rock formations. The appearance of the red lights startled everyone, and they halted in their tracks. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. Be cautious. We don’t know where we are in the stalagmite forest or how vast it is. We can’t see the edges yet.”
Liu Dashao then spoke up. “When I saw the red lights flash, I felt uneasy, but it was just for a moment. I think whatever it is, it’s significant. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something has been watching us, but I can’t pinpoint where. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if the feeling was accurate, especially with the gu insects in the holes giving me a similar sensation…”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao interrupted, “Dashao, stop creating tension! Don’t you think we’re scared enough already?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao. “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling increasingly certain to bring this up now. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to mention it then?”
Liu Dashao nodded. “Exactly. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger the feeling that we’re being followed. The appearance of those red lights just now made me extremely uncomfortable. I think those red lights belong to some living thing that’s tracking us.” Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, everyone grew more serious. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay alert. Let’s keep moving forward and increase our speed.”
Everyone nodded, and with Jia Zhuangyuan leading the way, they quickened their pace. Another long ten minutes passed as they nervously scanned their surroundings, moving swiftly forward. As they rounded another large gray rock, they were thrilled to see a gray slope ahead, resembling a small hill, with a cluster of indigo buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan, at the front, let out a cheer and turned to the group. “Everyone, pick up the pace. That should be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s spirits lifted. The stalagmite forest was almost behind them, and in less than ten minutes, they would ascend the slope and stand before the entrance to the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared ahead. Jia Zhuangyuan, at the forefront, exclaimed, “Ah!” and turned to retreat, shouting to the group, “Damn it, tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was stunned. Tigers, a thousand meters underground? Living tigers? Those red dots were their eyes.
Cai Qingchong nodded, “Master Jia is right. After a thousand years, it’s impossible for them to survive. They’re probably dead or decayed.”
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but is leading us to our doom.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly declared, “We have no other choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed closely, rushing toward the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, the two of them witnessed a bizarre sight: countless blue droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually coalescing into cylindrical forms that spun wildly toward Liu Dashao and his companions.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his supreme Taoist energy, using talismans to fend off wave after wave of these blue cylinders. Each time a cylinder approached, it would be shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, the shattered pieces would quickly reassemble and launch another assault on the trio…
Meanwhile, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to help. Jia Zhuangyuan had already run out of glutinous rice, which he had tried to use against the creatures, but to no avail.
Seeing the others approaching, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I don’t know what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered greatly.”
As everyone looked at him in confusion, he pointed to his chest. They saw that a large portion of his clothing had been scorched as if burned by fire. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they lunged at me. Before I could react, they struck my chest, and I fell to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Thankfully, Dashao came to block their continued attacks. It took Cai Qingchong and me a while to extinguish the flames.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such a strange, fiery energy?
At that moment, Liu Dashao once again used his talismans to block an attack from the cylindrical creatures and shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out alive!”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but then shouted, “Young Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!”
He turned to the others with a determined look and said, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, still waving his talismans, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, take everyone away. That’s an order! Go now! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” Tears of sorrow and anger streamed down everyone’s faces. Jia Zhuangyuan, in particular, wept like a child, clutching his head as he crouched down.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, tears blurring his vision, nodded firmly and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of indignation welled up in his heart. Were they really going to leave this young man behind in this underground passage forever?
The group slowly retreated from the passage. On either side of the path, the dark, eerie structures of the yin dwellings loomed, and the heavy water lake remained eerily silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
As they approached the city gates, they found them tightly shut. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. How were they supposed to open them? Just then, they heard the sound of intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you made it!” Fan Debiao exclaimed with joy, about to give him a bear hug, but Liu Dashao stopped him, saying, “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold those things off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gates must be up there,” he said, heading toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and then waved to Cai Qingchong, saying, “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous for one person, and I’m more familiar with these mechanisms.”
With that, he and Jiao Yiming began ascending the steps to the watchtower. Meanwhile, Zhang Li quickly helped Zengfan Daoist sit down on a stone block near the city gates.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice echoed from the watchtower. “I’ve found the mechanism! Everyone, be ready—I’m opening the gates!”
Liu Dashao shouted back, “Got it!” Soon after, with a heavy thud, the massive city gates, which had been sealed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, slowly began to creak open.
What lay beyond the gates? That was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites. But what kind of forest would it be? The gates finally stopped with a loud clang, and the exit resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast. Outside, there was only darkness and silence.
The group waited for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black void beyond the gates. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights flickering in the distance, stark and bright against the underground darkness.
He quickly alerted the others. As everyone turned to look, the red lights flickered a few times and then vanished into the darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was it some kind of monster, its eyes glowing red? Or perhaps two red, luminous gemstones? The group began to speculate. Just then, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We’re not sure what they are. Once we leave the city, we should reach the stalagmite forest soon. It’s likely to be quite large, so everyone must be cautious! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao gestured for the group to proceed. As they stepped through the gates, the vast underground space stretched out before them, illuminated only by the faint beams of their flashlights. The air was cold, and an eerie wind occasionally brushed against them, sending shivers down their spines.
Fan Debiao couldn’t help but shudder and whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Senior Jia, in Fengdu Ghost City, I didn’t feel such a cold wind. Why is it so intense now, almost bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan grunted, “In Fengdu Ghost City, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind, so you wouldn’t feel the cold.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued walking with the group. Everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan then said, “This underground space must be enormous. The cold wind isn’t typical of ordinary underground caves. Let’s hurry and find some shelter—it’ll be much better.”
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, the group quickened their pace. As the saying goes, when it’s cold, like in winter, running for a while can warm you up. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep their bodies warm.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before they saw, under the flashlight beams, numerous dark shapes standing on the ground ahead. Cai Qingchong, who was at the front, shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. We must have reached the stalagmite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description seemed accurate. Secondly, they would finally have some shelter from the underground wind. The space a thousand meters below the surface was unbearably cold. Cautiously, they entered the stalagmite forest. Once inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the biting chill disappeared, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the forest. Whether it was a masterpiece of nature or the result of Yin Changsheng’s mysterious powers, they couldn’t tell.
Under the flashlight beams, every rock in the stalagmite forest was gray, with bizarre and varied shapes. The only common feature was that each rock was covered in honeycomb-like holes, each about the size of a finger. Looking at these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “Given that we’re at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which is a dormant volcano, I’m not surprised by the vast underground space. What’s strange is that these rocks are all gray. Normally, the rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, along this journey, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can’t rely on normal reasoning or conventional views to understand them. Let’s not overthink it. Our goal is to succeed, and that’s what matters.”
Cai Qingchong nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a massive rock nearby, shaking his head. “I’m just worried that these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Liu Dashao, hearing this, felt a pang of concern and asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could hide some danger or scheme?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He asked Cai Qingchong for the flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan looked at everyone, his face pale with fear, and said, “There seem to be many small insects inside. I think they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” everyone exclaimed in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely. “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying form of sorcery used by the southern barbarians. Those infected by the gu can be controlled by the caster or have their life force drained by the insects.”
Fan Debiao, his face filled with terror, asked, “Damn it, what do we do now?” Jia Zhuangyuan paced anxiously in circles for a moment, then suddenly looked up and said, “Let’s not panic too much. We’re already inside the stalagmite forest, and so far, the gu insects haven’t awakened or attacked us. I think it’s possible that, after a thousand years, these insects have died, or the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded. “Senior Jia is right. After a thousand years, these things couldn’t possibly still be alive. The gu insects have probably died or disintegrated.”
The group found some comfort and reassurance in Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, and their panic began to subside. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map, studied it for a moment, and then took out a compass to determine their position. He then said to everyone, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a potential threat. We should hurry and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve located our position. We’ll head north, and once we’re out of the forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said to the group, “Let’s keep moving forward. For safety’s sake, we need to move quickly. But everyone must stay alert, watch out for each other, and report any sudden developments immediately.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward and pulled Liu Dashao aside, saying, “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, and the two of them took the lead, with the rest of the group following closely behind. They increased their speed, heading north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed by as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction using the compass, as the numerous rocks obstructed their path, forcing them to navigate around them to stay on course. Despite this, everyone remained uneasy, still fearing the ancient gu insects hidden within the rock holes. No one could be certain that the insects were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of tense progress, the group paused to allow Jia Zhuangyuan to adjust their direction once more. Suddenly, two red lights flickered in the distance ahead, only to vanish into the dense rock formations. The appearance of the red lights startled everyone, and they halted in their tracks. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. We need to be careful. We’re not sure where we are in the stalagmite forest or how large it is. We can’t see the edges.”
Liu Dashao then said, “When I saw those red lights flash, I felt uneasy. It was just for a moment, but I think that thing is no ordinary creature. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something has been watching us, but I couldn’t pinpoint its location. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if my feeling was accurate, especially with all the gu insects in the holes…”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao interrupted, “Dashao, stop trying to scare everyone! Don’t you think we’re already on edge?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao and said, “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling increasingly certain to bring this up now. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to mention it then?”
Liu Dashao nodded. “Exactly. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger I feel that we’re being followed. That red light flashing just now made me extremely uneasy. I think it’s some kind of living creature tracking us.” Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, everyone grew more serious. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay alert. We’ll keep moving forward, and we’ll pick up the pace.”
The group nodded and followed Jia Zhuangyuan, quickening their steps. Another tense ten minutes passed as they cautiously moved forward, constantly on guard. When they rounded another massive gray rock, they were thrilled to see a gray slope rising before them, atop which stood a cluster of indigo-blue buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan, leading the way, let out a cheer and turned to the group, saying, “Everyone, hurry up! That must be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s spirits lifted. The stalagmite forest was almost behind them, and in less than ten minutes, they would reach the slope and stand before the entrance to the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared in front of them. Jia Zhuangyuan, at the front, let out a cry of alarm and turned back, shouting, “Damn it, tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was stunned. Tigers, alive and well, a thousand meters underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
Liu Dashao nodded and addressed the group, “Let’s keep moving. For safety, move quickly but stay alert and watch each other’s backs. Report any emergencies immediately.”
Jia Yuanzhang stepped forward and tugged Liu’s sleeve, “Let’s lead the way, son.”
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but to lead us to our deaths.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly declared, “We have no other choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed closely, rushing toward the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, the two witnessed a bizarre scene: countless blue, droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually coalescing into cylindrical shapes that spun wildly, charging toward Liu Dashao and the other three.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his supreme Taoist energy, waving talismans in his hand to fend off wave after wave of these strange entities. Each time the blue cylindrical objects approached, they were shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, the objects merely dispersed and soon re-formed, launching another assault on the three…
Meanwhile, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to help. Jia Zhuangyuan had already run out of glutinous rice, which he had apparently tried to use against these things, but to no avail.
Seeing the others approaching, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I don’t know what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered greatly.”
Seeing the others’ confused looks, he pointed to his chest. Everyone noticed that a large portion of his clothing on his chest appeared scorched, as if burned by fire. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they lunged at me fiercely. Before I could react, they struck my chest, and I fell to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Thankfully, Dashao came over and blocked their continued attacks. It took Cai Qingchong and me a lot of effort to extinguish the fire on my chest.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan in shock, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such a mysterious fiery energy?
At this moment, Liu Dashao waved his talisman once more, blocking another attack from the cylindrical objects. He shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out!”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but still shouted in response, “Kid Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!”
He turned around with a determined look and said to the others, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, while waving his talisman, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, get everyone out of here! That’s an order! Go! Go! Or we’ll all die here!” By now, everyone was shedding tears of grief and anger. Jia Zhuangyuan, in particular, was sobbing like a child, clutching his head and crouching down.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, with tearful eyes, nodded vigorously and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of frustration welled up in his heart. Were they really going to watch this young man be left behind forever in this underground passage?
The group slowly retreated from the passage. On either side of the path were still the shadowy, uneven structures of the yin dwellings, and the heavy water lake remained eerily silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
As they approached the city gates and saw them tightly shut, everyone exchanged puzzled glances. How were they supposed to open the gates? Just then, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you made it!” Fan Debiao was overjoyed and was about to give him a bear hug, but Liu Dashao stopped him, saying, “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold those things off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gates must be up there.” With that, he headed toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and then waved to Cai Qingchong, saying, “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous for one person, and besides, I’m more familiar with the mechanisms.”
With that, he and Jiao Yiming walked up the steps toward the watchtower. Meanwhile, Zhang Li quickly helped Zengfan Daoist sit down on a stone block by the gate where a flagpole was placed.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice came from the watchtower. He shouted, “I’ve found the mechanism. Everyone, be ready. I’m opening the gates.”
Liu Dashao responded loudly, “Got it!” Shortly after, with a heavy thud, the massive gates of the underground city, which had been sealed for hundreds or even thousands of years, slowly creaked open with a loud rumble.
What kind of environment and scene awaited them outside the gates? This was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites. What would that forest look like? The gates clanged to a halt, and the exit resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast, with nothing but darkness and silence beyond.
The group waited in place for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black curtain outside the gates. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights appearing in the distance, glowing vividly in the underground darkness.
He quickly informed the others. When everyone turned to look at the red lights, they flickered a few times and then vanished into the vast darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was there some kind of monster out there, with the red lights being its eyes? Or were they two red, glowing gemstones? Or perhaps… Everyone began to speculate. At this moment, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We’re not sure what they are. Once we exit the city, we should reach a forest of stalagmites not far away. It’s likely to be quite large, so everyone must be careful! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao waved his hand, signaling that it was time to leave the city. As they stepped outside, the vast underground space once again appeared eerily empty and strange under the dim light of their flashlights.
A cold wind occasionally blew against them, causing Fan Debiao to shiver. He whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Senior Jia, in Fengdu Ghost City, I didn’t feel such a cold wind. Why is it so strong now, and why does it feel bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted softly and said, “In Fengdu Ghost City, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind, so of course you didn’t feel cold.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued to follow the group. By now, everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “This underground space is likely enormous. The cold wind here isn’t typical of ordinary underground caves. Let’s hurry and find some shelter; it’ll be much better once we’re out of the wind.”
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, everyone quickened their pace. As the saying goes, when it’s cold, like in winter, running for a while will warm you up. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep their bodies warm.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before they saw, under the light of their flashlights, a dense cluster of shadows ahead, as if many objects were standing on the ground. Cai Qingchong, who was at the front, shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. It seems we’ve reached the stalagmite forest marked on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description was confirmed. Secondly, they would finally have shelter from the underground cold wind. The space a thousand meters below the surface was freezing. Cautiously, they entered the stalagmite forest. As soon as they stepped inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the bone-chilling cold vanished, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the stalagmite forest, unsure whether it was a masterpiece of nature or the result of the mysterious Yin Changsheng’s unfathomable powers.
Within the stalagmite forest, under the light of their flashlights, every rock was gray and uniquely shaped, each one bizarre and peculiar. The only common feature was that every rock was covered in dense, honeycomb-like holes, each about the size of a finger. Looking at these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “Given that we’re now at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which is a dormant volcano, I’m not surprised by the vast underground space. What’s strange is that these rocks are all gray. Normally, the rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or blackish-brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, along this journey, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can’t rely on normal reasoning or conventional views to understand or interpret things anymore. Let’s not overthink it. Our goal is to succeed in our mission.”
Cai Qingchong nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a large rock beside him, shaking his head and saying, “I’m just worried that these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao’s heart stirred. He asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could hide some danger or scheme?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He borrowed Cai Qingchong’s flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s something inside these holes in the rocks!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan looked at everyone, his face filled with panic, and said, “It seems like there are many small insects inside. I suspect they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” Everyone exclaimed in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely and said, “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying sorcery used by the southern barbarians. Those who are infected by the gu will either be controlled by the gu master or have their life force drained by the gu insects until they die.”
Fan Debiao, his face filled with terror, asked, “Damn it, what should we do?” Jia Zhuangyuan paced around anxiously for a few steps, then suddenly looked up and said, “Let’s not worry too much. We’ve already entered the stalagmite forest, but so far, the gu insects inside the rocks haven’t awakened or attacked us. I think it’s possible that, after a thousand years, these gu insects have died, or perhaps the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded and said, “Senior Jia is right. After a thousand years, these things couldn’t possibly still be alive. Maybe the gu insects have already died or disintegrated.”
The group found some comfort and reassurance in Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, and their panic gradually subsided. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map from his pocket, studied it for a while, and then took out a compass to determine their position. He then said to everyone, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a potential threat. We should hurry and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve determined our position. We’ll head north, and once we’re out of the stalagmite forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said to the group, “Let’s keep moving forward. For safety’s sake, we need to move quickly. Of course, while we’re moving, everyone must stay alert, look out for each other, and report any sudden developments immediately.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward, grabbed Liu Dashao, and said, “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, and the two of them took the lead, with the rest following closely behind. They increased their pace and headed north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed by as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction using the compass, as the countless rocks obstructed their path, forcing them to navigate around many of them to stay on course. However, everyone’s hearts were still uneasy. The thought of the thousand-year-old gu insects lurking in the rock holes filled them with fear. No one could be certain that the gu insects were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of travel, just as the group paused anxiously for Jia Zhuangyuan to adjust their direction, two red lights suddenly appeared not far ahead of them, only to vanish into the dense cluster of rocks moments later. The appearance of the red lights startled everyone, and they immediately halted their advance. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. We must be careful. We’re not sure where we are in the stalagmite forest or how large it is. We can’t see the edges, so we’re still in the dark.”
Liu Dashao then said, “When I saw the red lights flash, I felt uneasy for a moment. It was just a brief sensation, but I think that thing is no ordinary creature. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something has been watching us, but I can’t pinpoint where it is. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if the feeling was accurate, especially with so many gu insects in the holes. It’s just a feeling…”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao suddenly interrupted him, shouting, “Dashao, stop creating tension! Don’t you think we’re scared enough already?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao and said, “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling increasingly uneasy to bring this up now. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to mention it then?”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “That’s exactly my point. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger I feel that we’re being followed. The flash of those red lights just now made me extremely uncomfortable. I think those red lights belong to some living thing that’s tracking us.” Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, everyone grew solemn. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay on high alert. We’ll continue moving forward and pick up the pace.”
Everyone nodded, and with Jia Zhuangyuan leading the way, they quickened their steps and pressed on. Another long ten minutes passed as they nervously kept an eye on their surroundings, moving swiftly forward. When they turned around another large gray rock blocking their path, they were delighted to see a gray slope resembling a small hill ahead, with a cluster of indigo buildings standing atop it, surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan let out a cheer from the front and turned to the group, saying, “Everyone, pick up the pace. That should be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s hearts leaped with excitement. The stalagmite forest was almost behind them, and in less than ten minutes, they would ascend the slope and stand before the gates of the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared in front of them. Jia Zhuangyuan, who was at the front, let out a startled cry and immediately turned back, shouting to the group, “Damn it, it’s tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was shocked. Tigers, living tigers, a thousand meters underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
About ten minutes later, as the group paused for Jia to adjust their direction, two red lights suddenly flickered ahead, then vanished into the dense stone forest. Everyone froze in alarm.
Jia Yuanzhang said, “That red light seems alive. Everyone, be careful. We don’t even know where we are in this stalactite forest or how large it is—we can’t see the edge.”
At this moment, Fan Debiao suddenly muttered to himself, “Could it be that this passage leads somewhere else, not to the Ninety-Nine Heavens? Damn it, maybe that Yin Changsheng is deceiving us. He doesn’t want us to reach the Ninety-Nine Heavens but to lead us to our doom.”
Yang Weidong pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps your judgment is correct, but what should we do now? Senior Jia and the others are already entangled with those things.”
Fan Debiao suddenly declared, “We have no choice now. Let’s move forward together and assist Senior Jia and the other three.” With that, he took the lead and ran ahead. Yang Weidong tightened his gun belt and followed swiftly in the direction of Jia Zhuangyuan and the others. After running less than a hundred meters, they witnessed a bizarre scene: countless blue droplet-like objects in the passage emitted an eerie glow, gradually coalescing into cylindrical forms that spun wildly and charged toward Liu Dashao and the other three.
Liu Dashao continuously wielded his supreme Taoist energy, using talismans to fend off wave after wave of these blue cylinders. Each time a cylinder approached, it would be shattered by Liu Dashao’s incantations, exploding into blue, firework-like fragments. However, the shattered pieces would quickly reassemble and launch another assault…
At this moment, Cai Qingchong and Jia Zhuangyuan stood anxiously behind Liu Dashao, unable to help. Jia Zhuangyuan had run out of glutinous rice, which he had apparently tried to use against these things, but to no avail.
Seeing the others approaching, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “I don’t know what these things are, but they’re too sinister! I’ve suffered greatly.”
Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone’s faces, he pointed to his chest. Everyone saw that a large portion of his clothing had been scorched as if by fire. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “As soon as I saw these things, they fiercely charged at me. Before I could react, they struck my chest, and I fell to the ground. Then my chest caught fire—blue flames, no less. Fortunately, Dashao came and blocked their continued attacks. It took Cai Qingchong and me a while to extinguish the flames on my chest.” Everyone stared at the disheveled Jia Zhuangyuan, feeling a deep sense of fear. What were these blue things? How could they possess such a mysterious fiery energy?
At this moment, Liu Dashao once again used his talismans to block an attack from the cylindrical objects and shouted, “Everyone, get out of this passage now! I don’t think I can hold them off much longer. If this continues, none of us will make it out!”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, Jia Zhuangyuan scratched his head in frustration but then shouted, “Young Liu, I, Old Jia, will never leave you behind!”
He turned to the others with a determined look and said, “Cai Qingchong, take the others and retreat. I’ll stay here and hold them off.”
Liu Dashao, while still wielding his talismans, cursed, “You old fool, you have to leave too! Fan Debiao, take them away, evacuate everyone! That’s an order! Go now! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” By now, everyone was weeping with grief and anger. Jia Zhuangyuan, tears streaming down his face like a child, crouched down, clutching his head.
Fan Debiao suddenly took a deep breath and shouted, “Follow orders! Everyone, retreat with me now!”
Cai Qingchong, tears blurring his vision, nodded firmly and looked at Liu Dashao, who was desperately fending off the blue creatures. A surge of indignation welled up in his heart. Were they really going to leave this young man behind in this underground passage forever?
The group slowly retreated from the passage. On either side of the path were still the shadowy, uneven structures of the yin dwellings, and the heavy water lake remained eerily silent. In the distance, they could see the towering gates of Fengdu and the watchtowers on either side.
As they approached the city gates, they found them tightly shut. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances—how were they to open them? Just then, they heard intermittent footsteps. Turning around, they were astonished to see Liu Dashao, clutching his chest, retreating toward them.
“Dashao, you’re here!” Fan Debiao was overjoyed and moved to embrace him, but Liu Dashao stopped him, saying, “Hurry, my barrier won’t hold them off for long!”
Cai Qingchong’s expression changed. “I’ll go up to the watchtower. The mechanism to open the gates must be there.” With that, he headed toward the steps leading to the watchtower.
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded firmly at Liu Dashao and then waved to Cai Qingchong, saying, “Let’s go up together. It’s too dangerous for one person, and besides, I’m more familiar with these mechanisms.”
With that, he and Jiao Yiming began ascending the steps to the watchtower. Meanwhile, Zhang Li quickly helped Zengfan Daoist sit down on a stone block near the gate.
Less than ten minutes later, Jia Zhuangyuan’s voice rang out from the watchtower. “I’ve found the mechanism! Everyone, be ready—I’m opening the gates!”
Liu Dashao shouted in response, “Got it!” Shortly after, with a heavy thud, the massive gates of the underground city, sealed for hundreds if not thousands of years, slowly creaked open.
What kind of environment and scene awaited them outside the gates? This was the question on everyone’s mind. Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned that, according to the map, there should be a forest of stalagmites. What would this forest look like? The gates stopped with a clang, and the exit resembled the gaping maw of a prehistoric beast. Outside, there was only darkness and silence.
The group waited for Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong to return. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the black curtain outside. Suddenly, Liu Dashao noticed two red lights appearing in the distance, vivid and bright in the underground darkness.
He quickly informed the others. As everyone turned to look, the red lights flickered a few times and then vanished into the vast darkness. Everyone was astonished. What could it be? Was there some kind of monster there, with the red lights being its eyes? Or were they two red, glowing gemstones? Or perhaps… Everyone began to speculate. At this moment, Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong descended from the watchtower. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From the watchtower, we saw a few red lights in the distance, but they disappeared quickly. We’re not sure what they are. Once we leave the city, we should reach a forest of stalagmites not far away. It’s likely to be quite extensive, so everyone must be careful! The map has already deceived us once, so we can’t rely on it entirely. Caution is our best strategy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Liu Dashao waved his hand, signaling that it was time to leave the city. As they stepped outside, the vast underground space, illuminated by their weak flashlight beams, appeared both expansive and eerie.
A cold wind occasionally brushed against them, causing Fan Debiao to shiver. He whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Senior Jia, in Fengdu Ghost City, I didn’t feel such a cold wind. Why is it so strong now, and so bone-chilling?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted softly and said, “In Fengdu Ghost City, the high walls and numerous buildings block the wind, so of course you wouldn’t feel cold.”
Fan Debiao chuckled awkwardly and continued walking with the group. By now, everyone was shivering from the cold. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “This underground space must be enormous. The coldness of this wind is unlike anything in ordinary underground caves. Let’s hurry and find some shelter—it’ll be much better there.”
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, everyone quickened their pace. As the saying goes, when it’s cold, like in winter, running for a while can warm you up quickly. Following this logic, the group jogged to keep their bodies warm.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before their flashlights revealed a dense cluster of dark shapes ahead. Cai Qingchong, at the front, shone his flashlight and whispered, “It’s rocks—lots of rocks. It seems we’ve reached the stalagmite forest mentioned on the map.”
Everyone felt a surge of excitement. For one, the map’s description was being confirmed. Secondly, they would soon have shelter from the underground cold. The thousand-meter-deep underground space was freezing. Carefully, they entered the stalagmite forest. Once inside, they immediately felt the cold wind diminish, and the biting chill on their bodies vanished, replaced by a comforting warmth. Shining their flashlights around, they marveled at the forest of stalagmites, wondering if it was a natural wonder or the result of Yin Changsheng’s mysterious powers.
Within the stalagmite forest, under the flashlight beams, every rock was gray and uniquely shaped, each covered in a honeycomb-like pattern of finger-sized holes. Observing these rocks, Cai Qingchong suddenly said, “Given that we’re at the bottom of the Guge ruins, which is a dormant volcano, I’m not surprised by the vast underground space. What’s strange is that these rocks are all gray. Normally, the rocks and ground inside a volcano should be dark red or blackish-brown.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Kid, along this journey, we’ve encountered too many things that defy logic. We can’t rely on normal reasoning or perspectives anymore. Let’s not overthink it. Our goal is to succeed, and that’s what matters.”
Cai Qingchong nodded thoughtfully and shone his flashlight on a massive rock nearby, shaking his head. “I’m just worried these rocks were placed here deliberately.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao’s heart stirred. He asked Cai Qingchong, “Are you suggesting that this stalagmite forest might have been arranged by Yin Changsheng, and that it could hide some danger or conspiracy?”
Cai Qingchong nodded.
Jia Zhuangyuan, overhearing their conversation, also felt uneasy. He borrowed Cai Qingchong’s flashlight and began carefully examining a nearby rock. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh no! There’s something inside these holes!”
Liu Dashao urgently asked, “Senior Jia, what’s inside?” Jia Zhuangyuan, looking at everyone with a panicked expression, said, “There seem to be many small insects inside. I suspect they’re the insect gu used by the southern barbarians.”
“Insect gu?” Everyone gasped in shock. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded gravely. “Yes, insect gu—a terrifying form of sorcery used by the southern barbarians. Those afflicted by it can be controlled by the caster or devoured by the gu insects.”
Fan Debiao, his face filled with terror, asked, “Damn it, what do we do now?” Jia Zhuangyuan paced anxiously in circles before suddenly looking up and saying, “Everyone, don’t worry too much. We’ve entered the stalagmite forest, but so far, the gu insects inside the rocks haven’t awakened to attack us. I think it’s possible that after a thousand years, these gu insects have died, or perhaps the person who controlled them has long since perished.”
Cai Qingchong nodded. “Senior Jia is right. After a thousand years, these things couldn’t possibly still be alive. Maybe the gu insects have died or disintegrated.”
The group found some comfort and reassurance in Jia Zhuangyuan and Cai Qingchong’s words, and their panic subsided somewhat. Jia Zhuangyuan pulled out the map, studied it for a moment, and then used a compass to determine their position. He then said to everyone, “Regardless, these gu insects remain a latent threat. We should hurry and get out of this stalagmite forest as soon as possible. According to the map, I’ve pinpointed our location. We’ll head north, and once we’re out of the forest, we’ll reach the center of the Wuji Demon Vault.”
Liu Dashao nodded and said to the group, “Let’s keep moving forward. For safety’s sake, we need to move quickly. Of course, everyone must stay alert, watch out for each other, and report any sudden developments immediately.” Jia Zhuangyuan stepped forward and grabbed Liu Dashao’s arm. “Kid, let’s lead the way together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, and the two of them took the lead, with the rest following closely behind. They increased their speed, heading north. The gray, oddly shaped rocks flashed by as they hurried along. Jia Zhuangyuan frequently stopped to adjust their direction with the compass, as the numerous rocks obstructed their path, forcing them to navigate around many obstacles to maintain their northward course. However, everyone’s hearts were still uneasy. The thought of the thousand-year-old gu insects lurking in the rock holes filled them with dread. No one could be certain that the gu insects were truly dead.
After about ten minutes of tense progress, just as the group paused for Jia Zhuangyuan to adjust their direction, two red lights suddenly appeared not far ahead, only to vanish instantly into the dense rock formations. The appearance of these red lights startled everyone, and they halted in their tracks. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Those red lights seem to belong to something alive. Everyone, be careful. We’re not sure where we are in the stalagmite forest or how large it is. We can’t see the edges yet.”
Liu Dashao spoke up, “When I saw those red lights flash, I felt uneasy, though it was just for a moment. I think whatever it is, it’s not simple. Also, there’s something I need to tell everyone. Ever since we entered the stalagmite forest, I’ve felt like something is watching us, but I can’t pinpoint where. I didn’t mention it earlier because I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, especially with all the gu insects in the holes…”
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao interrupted, “Dashao, stop creating more tension! Don’t you think we’re scared enough already?”
Cai Qingchong frowned at Fan Debiao and said, “Debiao, Dashao must be feeling it more strongly now, which is why he’s warning us. If something happens and we lose someone, what good would it do to speak up then?”
Liu Dashao nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean. The deeper we go into the stalagmite forest, the stronger I feel that we’re being followed. That red light flashing just now made me extremely uneasy. I think it’s some kind of living thing tracking us.” Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, everyone grew more serious. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “From now on, everyone must stay on high alert. We’ll continue moving forward, and we’ll pick up the pace.”
Everyone nodded, and with Jia Zhuangyuan leading the way, they quickened their steps and pressed on. Another long ten minutes passed as they nervously scanned their surroundings, moving swiftly forward. When they rounded another massive gray rock blocking their path, they were delighted to see a gray slope rising like a small hill ahead, atop which stood a cluster of indigo-blue buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Zhuangyuan let out a cheer from the front and turned to the group, saying, “Everyone, speed up! That must be the Wuji Demon Vault ahead.” Everyone’s hearts leaped with excitement. They were almost out of the stalagmite forest. In less than ten minutes, they would ascend the slope and stand before the entrance to the Wuji Demon Vault.
But just then, countless red dots suddenly appeared in front of them. Jia Zhuangyuan, at the forefront, let out a cry of alarm and immediately turned back, shouting to the group, “Damn it, it’s tigers! A pack of tigers!” Everyone was stunned. Tigers, alive and well, a thousand meters underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
Before he could finish, Fan Debiao interrupted, “Dashao, stop scaring everyone! Don’t you think we’re already scared enough?”
Cai Qingchong frowned and said, “Debiao, Dashao must have a strong reason to speak up. If we wait until something happens and people get hurt, it’ll be too late.”
Liu nodded, “Exactly. The deeper we go, the stronger the feeling of being followed becomes. That red light made me feel deeply uneasy—it felt like a living thing tracking us.”
Everyone grew serious. Jia Yuanzhang said, “Everyone, stay alert. Let’s keep moving—faster!”
They nodded and followed Jia, quickening their pace. Another tense fifteen minutes passed. As they turned around a massive gray stone, everyone was delighted to see an upward slope ahead, like a small hill, crowned by a cluster of indigo buildings surrounded by high walls.
Jia Yuanzhang shouted joyfully, “Hurry! That must be the Wuji Magic Vault!” Everyone’s hearts leaped—soon, they would leave the stalactite forest and stand before the vault’s entrance.
But suddenly, countless red dots appeared ahead. Jia Yuanzhang was the first to see them. With a startled cry, he turned and shouted, “Damn it! Tigers! A whole pack of tigers!” Everyone was stunned—tigers, living tigers, deep underground? Those red dots were their eyes.
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