I hurriedly climbed down.
To avoid being chased and caught by the two foxes.
At that moment, I suddenly felt a psychic connection with the Dumpling inside my belly.
It seemed that he also felt the tense atmosphere outside, nervously gnawing on his hand.
As I descended, I gently touched my lower abdomen.
Poor Little Dumpling, nestled in my stomach.
Why does it feel like we're living a bungee-jumping thrill every day~
"I don't see anyone," said one of the foxes from above, their voice reaching the bottom of the well.
I nearly slipped and fell off the iron ladder.
Are they acting, or did they really not see me?
The other fox said, "What does this tell us?"
The fat fox asked, "Tell us what?"
The skinny fox: "The people of the Lin family wanted to escape through this well from the Pill Room but retreated after seeing us."
The fat fox: "Makes sense, definitely. Let's wait here and catch them like sitting ducks."
The skinny fox: "Definitely. We'll just guard this spot, and as soon as someone shows their head, we'll grab them immediately."
The fat fox: "We're going to earn great merits."
After listening to them, I greatly admired the intelligence of these two foxes.
And I was convinced that they indeed hadn't seen me.
I crept down and followed the long passageway in search of a direction.
To the side was the sound of babbling water, all carrying the scent of herbal medicine.
"Hang in there, Dumpling. Mom knows these smells are unpleasant, just hold on a bit longer~" I touched my belly, very concerned for Dumpling's health, and covered my mouth and nose with my sleeve.
Coming to a place like this, one really should have prepared a gas mask.
Dumpling replied with particular vigor, "Mom, Dumpling is very strong, don't worry about me, I can even protect you."
"My dear little heart, touch hands." I touched Dumpling's hand through my belly, encouraging each other.
Soon, I reached the area right beneath the Pill Room.
The floor of the Pill Room was made of iron sheets, making footsteps particularly clear.
Through the gaps between the floorboards, light shone down below.
From within, I could faintly hear voices arguing.
It seemed my mother was already arguing with a disciple whose resolve was faltering, "At times like these, we should be uniting against a common threat, not infighting. With the Sect Master here and the Mysterious Heavenly Formation protecting us, there won't be any problems."
"Easy for you to say, Sister," said a female disciple sarcastically. "That woman outside said we're surrounded by the Thousand Corpses Formation. No matter how powerful the Mysterious Heavenly Formation is, it's useless against it."
"What kind of crappy senior sister is Lin Xiangnan? She defected from the Lin family over twenty years ago. And right after she comes back, this happens. She's bad luck incarnate."
"I think she's just trying to protect her daughter, Su Wan, treating our lives as if they don't matter."
...
Some disciples with stirring hearts were criticizing my mother with various accusations.
And there were loyal disciples retorting, "You people are too afraid of death. The Sect Master has spoken not to collude with that woman. Are you trying to stage a coup?"
At this very moment, internal strife had fragmented the Lin Family Disciples in the Pill Room.
I had by then climbed up using a rope, where there were many Alchemy Furnaces, all emitting fumes from the alchemy process.
I moved back and forth among the Pill Furnaces, and surprisingly, no one noticed me.
Lin Huan's cough grew worse and worse, almost as if he was hacking up his lungs, and with a casual wave, he dismissed them, "Enough, enough. Those who wish to surrender, those who fear death, go on, get out, be gone..."
"Sect Master, we would undoubtedly die if we go out rashly. Please relent and allow us a Statement of Surrender." Those disciples with traitorous thoughts, already having lost all reverence for the sect in their desperation to live, pressed on aggressively, "Please, make a call to Su Wan and ask her to return to the Lin Family with Snake Lord."