On the tree, Wu Tianzhen and Fatty were about to meet an old acquaintance, beginning a touching reunion that would make the living grieve and the dead weep.
Meanwhile, in the pool beneath the tree, Zhang Qiling was diligently cosplaying as Mario.
Unlike the turbulence on the surface, the bottom of the pool appeared calm and serene. Apart from the water monkeys that occasionally darted away from his sight, the murky depths seemed to form a solitary world of its own.
He held his breath and dived, piercing through the obscuring sand and silt, and soon reached the very bottom.
There, etched onto the pool floor, was a massive carving of a twin-bodied serpent. Two slender snake tails coiled around the heads, forming a circular pattern.
At the center, the serpent's mouth was agape, its posture exuding a power that could swallow mountains and rivers. This was the pool's drainage outlet.
Beneath the dark inner wall of the drainage outlet, a crimson object was visible, wedged in perfectly. A few small bubbles occasionally struggled to escape from its edges.
This was the culprit behind the rising water level.
The object did not resemble any stone or earth. Zhang Qiling observed it intently, even catching a glimpse of subtle undulations.
The Black Gold Ancient Sword was quietly unsheathed, and Zhang Qiling cautiously approached.
The crimson object was revealed to be a gigantic fish head!
Fish have no eyelids and do not close their eyes like other animals. However, this crimson fish head appeared to be shut tight.
Perhaps sensing the ripples caused by Zhang Qiling's approach, the fish's "eyelids" moved, instantly dispersing into strands of red threads drifting in the water, revealing the lifeless eyeballs hidden beneath.
As the threads drifted, they swiftly burrowed into the gaps around the fish's eyes.
Almost simultaneously, the fish moved!
Its body was incredibly long. Apart from the head, the rest of its form stretched out like a serpent. Although it had already coiled around Zhang Qiling, its remaining body still completely blocked the drainage outlet.
Zhang Qiling waited patiently, observing the serpent-fish's movements.
At first glance, the fish head appeared entirely red. But now, as more of it was revealed, it proved to be far stranger than imagined.
Its body was irregularly pieced together with many colors: red, white, black... all sorts. Each colored patch not only differed in hue but also in the arrangement of its scales. At a glance, Zhang Qiling even noticed some patches were covered in fur, resembling that of mammals.
It was like a grotesque doll crudely stitched together by an inept tailor, its entire being exuding a sense of incongruity.
Recalling the strange eyelids, Zhang Qiling had a suspicion. He flexed his left hand; the bandages, expertly applied under Wu Tianzhen's supervision, were secure and showed no trace of blood.
He hesitated, unsure whether to remove the bandages. Just then, a water monkey, curious and lingering to watch, stealthily approached, attempting to secure a front-row VIP seat.
The moment it drew near, it was as if a red torrent surged forth. Countless red threads erupted from the fish's body, moving through the water with no apparent resistance, instantly engulfing the monkey!
The threads burrowed into every crevice, entering its body through its eye sockets, mouth, and nostrils. The monkey didn't even have time to scream before it became a marionette, its expression one of terror but its movements stiff and lifeless.
Its companions, watching from a distance, showed no camaraderie. Upon witnessing this, they scattered in a panic, not even bothering to call out to it.
As the fine threads guided the water monkey slowly towards the main body of the fish, about to incorporate it into the colored patches, the Black Gold Ancient Sword descended with a water-splitting force, silent yet imposing!
The threads were instantly severed. A trickle of red seeped from the cut ends, quickly dispersing into the turbulent water.
Freed from its control, the monkey frantically tore at the remaining threads on its body. With all four limbs churning, it scrambled away as if equipped with an acceleration motor, chasing after its unscrupulous teammates.
Zhang Qiling glanced at it, then quickly refocused his attention on the seemingly enraged, parasitic stitched-together monstrosity before him.
Indeed, this was not a "fish" at all, but a composite creature formed by fine, thread-like parasites weaving through and stitching together the bodies of various creatures.
Logically, such an entity should not be stuck due to its size. Its blockage was more likely a deliberate act to serve as a "filter" between two bodies of water, effortlessly intercepting more biological components.
Their recently captured monkey had escaped, and now they were eagerly preparing to use Zhang Qiling as a replacement.
Zhang Qiling had no desire to engage them further. The water level was still rising, and he was genuinely concerned about the situation of the two people above.
He slightly loosened the bandage on his left hand. Seizing the moment the parasites recoiled in fear, he shot forward like an arrow. His speed was so great that the water behind him momentarily became still.
The stillness was followed by a violent eruption. Amidst swirling white foam, Zhang Qiling, wielding the Black Gold Ancient Sword, moved like a phantom. Countless parasites that had not yet returned to their bodily fortress were scattered into pieces. The serpent-like body exploded like stacked building blocks!
The remaining body parts, still hidden within the drainage outlet, were manipulated by the remaining parasites to retreat further inside. They feared Zhang Qiling's might but were unwilling to easily relinquish this hunting ground.
Little did they know that after his series of movements, Zhang Qiling showed no hesitation. As he charged towards the drainage outlet, he had already seized the giant fish head, which had lost its control and scattered, and with a brief charge, he hurled it out with simple, brutal force. The partially hidden remaining torso was instantly dispersed by this ferocious blow!
The moment the torso broke apart, the parasites attempted to salvage the situation, but it was too late. The gap that momentarily appeared allowed the upper water pressure to take effect instantly. The drainage outlet transformed into a massive vortex, and the parasites, along with their scattered bodies, were swept away by the torrent before they could even struggle!
Zhang Qiling, lacking purchase in the water, was also caught in the current. Just as he was about to thrust the Black Gold Ancient Sword into the side wall to steady himself, he was struck by a heavy object. Briefly disoriented, he was pulled into the drainage outlet.
His vision was instantly plunged into darkness.
—
Meanwhile, Wu Tianzhen and Fatty were engaged in a battle against the reanimated Li Wang.
This Li Wang had died and come back to life so many times. Just moments ago, he had been sliced into jerky, but now, he opened his eyes and was whole again. Overwhelmed with emotion, his gratitude transformed into fierce attacks directed at the two of them.
Both men, armed with firearms, could hold off Li Wang under the suppressive fire. However, Li Wang soon discovered the disadvantage of direct confrontation and retreated behind the dense branches of the bronze tree. Using his flying head, he attacked from various angles, momentarily putting Wu Tianzhen and Fatty in a precarious position.
"Damn, this guy's a complete turtle! Can't hit him at all?!"
Wu Tianzhen's composure began to fray as the bullets aimed at Li Wang were once again blocked by the bronze tree.
Fatty quickly fired another burst, forcing the peeking Li Wang back into his shell. Angrily, he roared, "Damn it! I'll see if he's faster at hiding or my bullets are faster!"
As the battle reached its climax, a blinding white light suddenly appeared before them!
It was the one-eyed worm, which had been lurking in the tree trunk, boldly emerging because Zhang Qiling had been gone for too long!
They dared not attack Wu Tianzhen and Fatty directly, as they possessed the blood of the Qilin. Instead, from a high vantage point, they opened their mouths and simultaneously spewed a white, misty fog!
The composition of this white powder was unknown, but it was extremely pungent. Caught off guard, both men's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and their breathing became labored!
Li Wang, being a corpse, was completely unaffected. Seizing the opportunity, his head, concealed by the mist, flew towards them stealthily!
Wu Tianzhen only noticed the approaching head when it was right in front of him. At this moment, Li Wang's pale, withered skin was clearly visible. He had no way to dodge it!
In this moment of life and death, Zhang Qiling's image flashed through his mind.
...If Xiao Ge were here...
Amidst Fatty's urgent shouts, he made a final, desperate attempt to dodge—
And at that very moment!
A sharp blade whistle sounded again! A dark shadow flashed by! Before Li Wang's head could react, it was pierced by the sharp blade, exploding in a cloud of black blood mist!!
With a crisp landing, the newcomer stood on the branches. Wherever his footsteps fell, the one-eyed worms scattered in panic, and the white mist dissipated as if meeting sunlight!
Wu Tianzhen's eyes still stung. Tears streaming down his face, he raised his gaze—
Before him stood Zhang Qiling, who had just drawn the Black Gold Ancient Sword and was shaking off the blood!