The dark and eerie underground city, the decaying and solemn mystery of a thousand years.
Enveloped by this atmosphere, the two of them brazenly built a bonfire and began roasting eels.
The dog-headed figures were arranged in a neat row, their eyes wide with their final moments.
Out of humanitarian consideration, Hei Yanjing gratefully closed their eyes for them.
The eel bodies were sliced in half, their white flesh sizzling under the heat of the flames.
The black skin curled up as it roasted, a hint of its unique鲜香 (xiān xiāng - fresh aroma) wafting from the charring.
Zhang Qiling took a small bite of an eel piece. It melted in his mouth, leaving a lingering, exquisite taste.
This stuff is actually edible…
Zhang Qiling: Began to wonder what kind of bizarre things were on ancient people's menus.
—
This city in the darkness had the exact same layout as the bright and dazzling fake city before, composed of the outer structure of eight lotuses and the central nine-layered golden pagoda.
The only difference, perhaps, was the addition of many Qiong golden statues along the way.
Zhang Qiling took out his flashlight and shone it on a golden statue. It was almost identical to the Qiong they had just killed, clad in golden armor, wielding a golden spear, its three eyes glaring with fierce hostility.
The flashlight, having just been submerged in water, flickered intermittently, as if experiencing contact issues.
Under this light, Zhang Qiling momentarily suspected the statue's eyes had shifted.
…But they hadn’t.
The two cautiously approached the base of the golden pagoda. In the familiar square space sat the familiar box.
But this time, it was not an empty box.
Zhang Qiling felt an unease about the smoothness of their journey, his mind somewhat distracted as he opened the box and handed it directly to Hei Yanjing.
Inside lay a red lotus seed.
Hei Yanjing gazed at the lotus seed, silent for a long time, then suddenly smirked.
Without even a thorough inspection, he swallowed the seed of unknown origin!
Zhang Qiling: …!!!!
“You—”
“Oh, it’s nothing, nothing, won’t kill me~” Hei Yanjing waved his hand dismissively, unconcerned.
…If it could kill him, he would have died long ago.
As he spoke, he suddenly stiffened, closing his eyes tightly. Once the intense pain passed, his vision indeed cleared.
Though temporarily.
“See~” he raised his sunglasses without showing any abnormality.
“I can see now, right?”
Seeing Zhang Qiling’s somber expression, he casually handed the box back.
“Look, there’s a piece of jade here too. Why don’t you take it, Mute~”
…It sounded like they were dividing spoils.
Feeling a bit speechless, Zhang Qiling took the box and glanced at it casually, only to freeze instantly!
A dark jade seal, with coiling dragon-like figures entwined around it—
It was an extremely familiar sight, almost etched into his soul. Zhang Qiling felt a tearing headache!
This was the Ghost Seal?!
Why was it the Ghost Seal? He repeatedly compared his memories with the present, his thoughts becoming increasingly confused.
…This is clearly not the same world, so why are these things here?
The bronze bells of Changbai Mountain, the Ghost Seal of Tibet… does that mean the Bronze Door also truly exists?
If all of these truly existed, then was the Bronze Door the fated endpoint for him, the one playing the role of the young brother?
He tried to summon the system, but the system seemed to have returned to its initial mechanical indifference, offering no response.
The headache intensified. He endured it and tucked the Ghost Seal into his embrace.
…Regardless of the Bronze Door, he had to take the Ghost Seal!
“…Hey, Mute? Mute!”
Hei Yanjing noticed Zhang Qiling’s unusual state and was momentarily at a loss. Seeing Zhang Qiling finally seem to recover, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Qiling’s earlier demeanor was as if he had suddenly begun to question his own existence, a confusion and tremor that had never appeared before.
“…It’s nothing.”
Zhang Qiling steadied himself and said coldly.
His thoughts still tangled, he was about to step away when he suddenly felt a gust of wind from behind!
The Black Gold Ancient Blade instantly met it! After a clash of metal, a resounding tremor, the Qiong statue that had suddenly appeared before the golden pagoda and attacked them instantly exploded into a pile of scrap metal!
The statue crashed to the ground, and amidst the clatter, it seemed to contain other sounds. Zhang Qiling’s head throbbed, making it impossible to discern. Seeing countless statues charging towards them on the path ahead, the two no longer engaged and immediately darted into a hidden, dilapidated house.
Hiding by the window, they quietly observed the Qiong statues wandering erratically on the path in the darkness.
Having lost sight of the two, these statues moved blindly like headless flies, their golden spears exuding a murderous aura in the dim light.
Taking two deep breaths to alleviate his discomfort, Zhang Qiling subtly leaned against the wall to rest, his Black Gold Ancient Blade held tightly, his knuckles turning pale from the immense pressure.
“Mute, you—”
Hei Yanjing’s words were interrupted by a hoarse voice that suddenly echoed from behind them!
The voice was less than a meter away! Yet neither of them had detected it!
Instantly, the two jolted. Zhang Qiling’s Qilin tattoos even flared up in alarm!
He spun around abruptly!
In the room, in the darkness, by the dining table, a figure sat straight!
The figure’s head was twisted 180 degrees, facing them. With a benevolent expression, it was none other than the Buddhas with those eerie smiles they had seen upon entering the forbidden land!!
“…Come and eat, come and eat…”
The Buddha statue slowly opened its mouth, revealing a set of black, foul-smelling teeth!
“…Come on, come and eat…”
On the dining table, several dishes instantly materialized!
Not celestial nectar or delicious delicacies, but human heads, their skulls hollowed out, placed upside down on the table, their cranial cavities filled with flesh and blood!
The heads in the bowls stared with wide, accusing eyes, their gaping mouths seeming to cry out for help!
“Go!”
This place was too bizarre. The two instantly flipped out the window and retreated!
By now, the city was occupied by Qiong and Buddhas!
The Qiong wielding deadly weapons and the Buddhas holding bowls of human heads jostled together, their enthusiastic invitations and laughter filling the entire city!
Zhang Qiling and Hei Yanjing took only one glance before their feet didn’t stop, and in a blink, they had dashed tens of meters away!
But just as they were about to exit the city!
Two familiar voices suddenly rang out from behind them!!
“What the heck are these things?”
“Damn it! Look at Fatty’s explosive gift package!!”
“Wait, is that little brother?!”
“Little brother! Little brother, hurry back! It’s too dangerous over here, come save us!”
…!!!!!!
The moment Zhang Qiling heard the voices, he stopped in his tracks. Turning his head, he indeed saw Wu Tianzhen and Pang Zi!
They were surrounded by Qiong and Buddhas, fighting valiantly, clearly in a precarious situation!
Why would they—?
“Little brother!” As if sensing Zhang Qiling’s shock, Wu Tianzhen shouted, “Little brother, we came to find you!!”
“That’s right, don’t think you can just leave home after leaving a note and we won’t find you!”
His heart shaken, Zhang Qiling didn’t have time to listen carefully. He drew the Black Gold Ancient Blade across his palm, and the Qilin fire instantly ignited!
He was about to unleash his full power and charge back!
But at this moment, Hei Yanjing suddenly reached out and stopped him!
“What are you doing, Mute?”
“We’re about to get out of here, why are you suddenly acting like you want to go back and fight to the death?”
…Hei Yanjing can’t see?
Why can’t Hei Yanjing see??
The familiar confusion enveloped him.
Hei Yanjing couldn’t see because he had never met Wu Tianzhen and Pang Zi!
Things absent from memory cannot be simulated by an illusion?!
The first Qiong he had just destroyed flashed through his mind. Those faint sounds hidden within the explosive noise were clearly bronze bells!!!
“This is an illusion!!!”
With a crisp sound, the two were startled awake!
They were still standing before the golden pagoda, their feet covered in Qiong’s scrap metal.
Clearly, when they entered the illusion, their bodies had automatically performed violent actions against the surrounding Qiong.
But these scrap metals did not attract their attention.
Under their vigilant gazes, the golden pagoda, like a blooming lotus, had unfurled!