As soon as Liu Dashao touched the ground, his knees buckled and he plopped down, unable to stand for quite some time. Just moments ago, every nerve in his body had been tightly wound with tension, and now that the pressure had eased, he felt completely drained, collapsing like a pile of soft mud.
Fan Debiao asked, “What were you two doing on the cliff face? You knew that monster was right below—why didn’t you climb up immediately?”
Liu Dashao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied, “We discovered some strangely arranged caves on the opposite cliff face!”
“Caves?” Fan Debiao looked at them in confusion.
Jia Yuanzhang added, “Those caves form a Sixfold Reincarnation Formation. If you don’t want to be roasted alive here by a volcanic eruption, follow me into the formation now!”
With that, Jia Yuanzhang strode ahead toward the other side of the crater.
“Sixfold Reincarnation Formation? What kind of bizarre thing is that?” Everyone turned to me with questioning eyes.
Liu Dashao quickly scrambled to his feet. “Don’t ask me—I don’t know either. But I suppose following the elder’s lead should be safe enough!”
More than ten minutes later, the group arrived at the other side of the crater. After securing the anchor bolts and throwing down the climbing rope, Jia Yuanzhang was the first to descend using the rappelling device. Liu Dashao watched anxiously as Jia disappeared below. Earlier, Jia had warned that among the many caves, only the one located at the center of the Sixfold Reincarnation Formation was safe. All the others led straight to death. If Jia had miscalculated and chosen the wrong cave, the entire team would meet their end in this godforsaken place.
“Old man Jia, please don’t make any mistakes!” Liu Dashao silently prayed.
Moments later, Jia Yuanzhang flashed his wolf-torch signal, indicating it was safe to descend. Liu Dashao gritted his teeth and was the second to slide down the rope.
The caves carved into the cliff resembled several large black mouths, seemingly ready to swallow him whole at any moment. Below was pitch black, offering no visibility. Yet even from a height of just over twenty meters, Liu Dashao’s palms were already slick with cold sweat.
Just as Liu Dashao was about to call out to Jia and ask where he was, suddenly his ankle tightened—something had grabbed him! His body stiffened in shock, his hairs standing on end. He let out a startled cry and instinctively tried to kick free.
At that moment, Jia Yuanzhang’s voice rang out, “Don’t move! It’s me!”
Liu Dashao exhaled deeply. “Can’t you at least say something before grabbing me like that? You nearly scared me to death!”
Jia Yuanzhang stood at the cave entrance, ready to assist Fan Debiao and the others. Liu Dashao, meanwhile, raised his wolf-torch and examined the cave’s interior.
The cave wasn’t particularly wide—just enough for two people to walk side by side. The ceiling was about two meters high, making the space feel somewhat oppressive. What surprised everyone was that the temperature inside wasn’t hot at all. Instead, a thick, cold mist filled the air, like winter morning fog, enveloping them completely. Having just escaped the scorching heat, they now found themselves in a freezing environment. This drastic shift between extreme temperatures left everyone suffering terribly.
Liu Dashao slowly advanced, wolf-torch in hand, his brow furrowed. He couldn’t figure out what was going on. Beneath a volcano, shouldn’t they expect molten lava? How could they have ended up in such a cold place? It seemed the world truly was full of wonders.
Due to the constant subzero temperatures, thick layers of frost had formed on the tunnel floor and walls. Everyone trudged forward cautiously, slipping and sliding with each step.
“Hey, do you guys notice these marks on the ground? They look like footprints!” Liu Dashao crouched down, rubbing a patch of discolored snow between his fingers as he muttered to himself.
“Let’s go. Looks like someone got here before us. Those seven people are no ordinary folks,” Jia Yuanzhang patted Liu Dashao’s shoulder.
The frigid air quickly dispelled the lingering heat from their bodies. Gradually, their earlier sweat-soaked discomfort turned into uncontrollable shivering.
“What kind of cursed place is this? It’s freezing me to death!” Liu Dashao muttered as he walked.
Fan Debiao added, “I just hope this path doesn’t end in a dead end. Otherwise, we’ll freeze to death here, like dead pigs hanging in a freezer!”
Cai Qingchong shot him a glare. “Can’t you say something encouraging for once? Give yourself a little confidence, will you?”
As the two bickered, a sudden rumbling noise echoed through the tunnel. The entire passage began shaking violently, and frost rained down from the ceiling. The already slippery floor caused everyone to lose their footing, tumbling down one after another.
Fan Debiao screamed in terror, “Earthquake! It’s an earthquake!”
Liu Dashao felt as though he’d been thrown into a washing machine, spinning uncontrollably. The violent shaking left him completely disoriented, unable to tell which way was up, let alone stand.
After what felt like an eternity, the violent tremors gradually subsided, and the tunnel stilled. Everyone lay sprawled on the ground, covered in thick layers of frost.
“Phew! Phew phew!” Fan Debiao shook his head and sat up first, spitting out chunks of ice. “Man, that was more thrilling than a rollercoaster ride!”
Liu Dashao rubbed his aching head as he pushed himself up. That violent shaking had nearly rattled his bones loose.
“Master Jia, are you okay?” he asked with concern.
Jia Yuanzhang twisted his neck and rubbed his wrists. “I’m fine!”
“Dashao, why don’t you ask if I’m okay too?” Fan Debiao groaned, clutching his stomach.
Liu Dashao glanced at him. “You seem fine to me.”
“Who says I’m fine? I’m in serious trouble!” Fan Debiao’s expression twisted in apparent pain.
“You’re really hurt?” Liu Dashao started to move closer when suddenly Fan Debiao turned around, one hand on his stomach and the other braced against the wall, vomiting violently.
“Ugh, it’s disgusting! Smells like hell!” Covering his nose, Cai Qingchong ran off, only to slip on the icy ground and fall flat on his face with a loud “Ow!”
Fan Debiao chuckled between vomits. “Serves you right!” Before he could finish the sentence, he bent over again, vomiting as if his insides were about to spill out.
Liu Dashao walked over and patted Fan Debiao’s back. After a while, Fan finally caught his breath, sliding down the wall to sit.
Liu Dashao turned to Jia Yuanzhang. “Master Jia, what caused that shaking just now?”
Jia Yuanzhang thought for a moment. “I believe the outer cave collapsed, and the shockwave reached here, causing such violent tremors!”
Yang Weidong added, “Most likely the entire cave has collapsed now. We must be buried deep underground. It seems there’s no way back.”
“I never expected to leave from the moment we came in. Everyone, pull yourselves together—we must keep moving forward!” Liu Dashao raised his wolf-torch and strode ahead.
Though he didn’t know where the tunnel led, his instincts told him there must be a way out. At the very least, he could confirm one crucial fact: the air inside the cave was circulating, meaning it wasn’t a sealed dead end. If the cave wasn’t a dead end, then their chances of escape had significantly increased.
This thought filled Liu Dashao with renewed confidence, and his steps became lighter.
The cave sloped steadily downward, and the deeper they went, the colder it became. The tunnel walls were no longer just frosted—they were covered in thick layers of ice crystals, gleaming like polished mirrors reflecting their silhouettes. The wolf-torch beams refracted off the crystals, casting eerie, multicolored glows.
No one dared to stop. Only by pushing forward could they distract themselves from the cold. After about fifteen minutes of walking through the icy, narrow tunnel, a brilliant white light suddenly appeared ahead.
Everyone shouted in excitement, “We found the exit!”
The thought of finally leaving this perilous, living tomb and returning to the outside world lifted everyone’s spirits. After spending so long inside the ruins, they now longed for the outside world—the grass, the trees, the mountains, and the rivers. A world full of life, unlike this place, which was filled with silence and gloom.
However, their joy was shattered two minutes later. When the group reached the tunnel’s exit, they could hardly believe their eyes.
Before them stretched a vast underground ice cavern. Thick layers of ice covered the cave like a crystal coat. Light from an unknown source illuminated the entire cavern, casting a dazzling, surreal glow. With this light, they could finally see the cave’s full splendor.
The cavern was about twenty to thirty meters high. Towering ice pillars rose like columns, supporting the ceiling. Icicles hung from above like a forest of spears, gleaming with a chilling, deadly brilliance.
Indeed, nature was a master craftsman. The ice pillars were carved into countless shapes, like frozen sculptures. Some resembled bamboo shoots breaking through the soil, others like horses rearing their heads and neighing into the sky. Each unique and breathtaking, captivating everyone’s gaze.
Looking ahead, the cavern floor was crisscrossed with deep fissures and cracks, like chaotic brushstrokes on a white canvas. Cold winds howled through these gaps, carrying with them swirling snow and mist, like a fairyland from legend.
“Am I… dreaming?” Yang Weidong rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
His words snapped everyone out of their trance, and they all let out a collective “Ah!” of astonishment.
It was beautiful—so incredibly beautiful!
In that moment, they forgot their fears, their dangers, even the passage of time—forgetting even that they were deep underground.
But once the initial awe passed, their spirits plummeted like a crashing plane into an abyss. For a grim realization struck them all—they had no idea how to get out of this underground ice cavern.
“Dashao, what do we do now?” Fan Debiao asked. The others looked to Liu Dashao, waiting for his command. At this point, Liu Dashao and Jia Yuanzhang were the team’s pillars—every decision they made could mean life or death. Liu Dashao couldn’t afford to be careless; every move had to be carefully considered.
The group stood at the edge of an icy cliff. Wisps of cold mist rose from below, obscuring just how deep the drop was. The gap across was about ten meters wide. The ice on the far side lay several meters lower than where they stood. Between the two icy ledges, a crystalline ice bridge stretched out. About five meters wide, it was as smooth and reflective as a mirror, reflecting the deadly icicles hanging from the ceiling above. The bridge sloped downward at a forty-five-degree angle, like an outstretched hand from the ice ledge beneath their feet.
Boom! Boom!
A thunderous rumble echoed from below, sending chills through their spines. It sounded as if a massive beast lay imprisoned beneath, its gaping maw waiting hungrily for prey.
Jia Yuanzhang remained silent. Liu Dashao clenched his sweating hands. It seemed this ice bridge was their only path forward. Everyone seemed to realize this at once, silently staring at the bridge, their expressions shifting between fear and determination.
After a pause, Liu Dashao turned to the group. “We’ll slide across this bridge to the other side!”
Fan Debiao swallowed hard, fear evident in his voice. “The bridge is barely five meters wide, and there’s no railing! One misstep and we fall straight down!”
Liu Dashao had considered Fan Debiao’s concerns, but there was no other choice.
“I’ll go first!” Jia Yuanzhang suddenly stepped forward.
Everyone turned to him in surprise. Jia huffed, “It’s just a bridge!”
“Master Jia, let me go first!” Liu Dashao insisted.
The first person to cross would face the greatest danger and pressure. No one knew if the seemingly sturdy bridge could support a person’s weight, or if sliding across was even feasible. There were too many unknowns ahead. Liu Dashao couldn’t let Jia Yuanzhang risk his life like this—he was the team’s pillar, and such dangerous tasks should fall to him.
“It’s okay. Let me go,” Jia Yuanzhang insisted.
Liu Dashao turned to Fan Debiao. “Debiao, hold Master Jia back!”
Thick clouds of cold mist billowed like blooming flowers. Liu Dashao slowly squatted, then stretched his legs out and sat at the cliff’s edge.
“Dashao!” Fan Debiao’s worried voice reached his ears.
Liu Dashao took a deep breath, forcing a light tone. “Relax, it’s like reliving childhood—just a slide down a playground slide!”
He waved his right hand and shouted, “Here I go!”
With that, Liu Dashao leaned forward slightly—and suddenly, it felt as though his backside had been greased. With a “Zhi—lu!” sound, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
The wind howled past his ears. All he could see was a blur of white mist. It felt like flying through the clouds or riding a high-speed rollercoaster. He stretched his limbs straight, keeping his body rigid to maintain a straight sliding path and avoid veering off the bridge.
In that moment, all fear vanished. Liu Dashao’s mind became clear and focused. As he slid, fragmented images flashed before his eyes. The entire process lasted only a few seconds, yet it felt like an eternity—a life-and-death journey.
Whoosh!
Liu Dashao successfully slid across the bridge, reaching the other side. Due to inertia, he continued sliding another dozen meters on the icy surface before finally stopping.
Lying flat on the ice, he let out a long breath—he had made it!
After a while, the icy coldness seeping through the ice beneath his back made him shiver. He quickly stood up, excitement flooding his face. He waved his arms wildly and shouted toward the other side, “I made it! I made it!”
Yang Weidong was next in line to cross. Among the group, Liu Dashao was most worried about him and Fan Debiao. Yang was the kind of guy with brawn but little brains—any mistake during the crossing could spell disaster.
Yang nervously approached the edge of the bridge, trembling like a leaf. Finally sitting at the cliff’s edge, he couldn’t bring himself to move—his butt seemed glued to the ice. Cai Qingchong, impatient, gave him a hard push from behind.
“Waaahhh!” Yang screamed in terror as he shot down the smooth bridge.
In the blink of an eye, Yang slid onto the ice on the other side. Liu Dashao rushed over to help him up. Yang’s face was pale, his eyes tightly shut, a comically terrified expression.
Liu Dashao patted his cheek. “Hey, Dongzi, wake up!”
Yang shuddered and slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the others. “Am I still alive?”
Liu Dashao laughed. “Of course you are!”
Jia Yuanzhang was third to cross. As a seasoned tomb raider, he was the fastest among them. He crouched down swiftly and slid off the cliff edge with graceful ease, like a sleek fish gliding through icy waters.
After landing on the other side, Jia only slid about ten meters before performing a perfect somersault to his feet. His movements were crisp and fluid, earning applause from the onlookers.
Fan Debiao was fourth. Standing at the cliff’s edge, he hesitated, glancing down before turning to Cai Qingchong with a grimace. “Uh-oh! My legs are cramping!”
Cai Qingchong offered, “If you’re scared, let me go first!”
Fan Debiao quickly pulled him back. “No way! If you leave me here alone, I’ll never have the courage to go!”
Cai Qingchong urged, “Then hurry up!”
Fan Debiao swallowed hard and sat down at the cliff’s edge—but remained motionless.
Cai Qingchong asked impatiently, “Why aren’t you sliding down?”
Fan Debiao turned back helplessly. “My… my butt’s cramping too!”
Cai Qingchong sighed. “You’re such a hassle. Let me give you a push!”
Fan Debiao warned, “Be careful with your strength! Aim straight—don’t push me off the bridge!”
Cai Qingchong patted his hands. “Relax! You saw how accurately I pushed Yang Weidong!”
“Alright! Push me then!” Fan Debiao closed his eyes in despair, raising his arms and shouting, “Long live the People’s Republic of China!” His expression resembled a hero heading to the execution ground.
“Here we go! Hei!” With a mighty shove, Cai Qingchong sent Fan Debiao tumbling off the cliff.
Fan Debiao slid down the icy bridge, whooshing rapidly. But suddenly, something went wrong. His trajectory began veering sharply to the left. If he continued like this, he would fly off the bridge and plunge into the abyss below—an unforgiving, endless fall.
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