Chapter 1283 - 648: Doubts
"In other words, he is confident about taking away what he wants from here." Changtian said deeply.
"Why? Just relying on these few people?" She snorted softly.
Changtian’s eyes flickered, and there was a hint of amusement in his tone, as if he had thought of something: "You’re absolutely right, perhaps he originally thought these few people could accomplish the task. This is also why I agreed to accompany them. Even I find it curious about the hidden secrets here." He gently shook his head, "These people are confident in their experience, yet they can’t see the danger looming close."
She blinked: "Where is the danger?"
He laughed and teased: "Stop pretending, can’t you see it?"
She stuck out her tongue: "Alright. There’s something peculiar about this lake; those beetles prefer to nest in the stone room and none dare approach this lake. I originally thought they could only lay eggs in still water... are those pearls actually their insect eggs? Where do these creatures come from?"
"They are a species from ancient times, known as Nangying, which had gone extinct. Now, it seems the palace master has kept a small portion alive." Changtian closed his eyes to rest, "They used to be bigger in those times. After staying underground for thousands of years, food became scarce, so these Nangying shrank to adapt to the palace’s food shortage."
She nodded in understanding. The adaptability of creatures is truly amazing; the food here is strictly controlled, so the Nangying are much smaller than their ancestors, a true display of survival of the fittest. Moreover, the dense Evil Qi of Red Ghost Mountain has changed the characteristics of these creatures naturally.
"Have you heard the phrase ’rotting grass turns into glowworms’? Nangying indeed must lay eggs in still water. Normal fireflies feed on dew or pollen, but Nangying prefer meat. They have short lifespans, only a bit over a month, but once hatched and out hunting, they nearly darken the sky. Some Barbarian tribes suffered greatly from them; one large tribe I knew lost over seventy people in their worst attack. Later, the tribe came up with a solution by adding deadly poison to the blood food given to Nangying, eradicating them once and for all."
She asked curiously: "Is this creature hard to deal with, isn’t it vulnerable to fire?"
Changtian sneered slightly: "You think these creatures are easy to handle? Only with our Divine Fire can we achieve such effect. If these mortals dared to use mortal-world flames, they wouldn’t burn its thin wings even after three days and nights. Were it not for their need to lay eggs in still water, this creature would be more harmful to the Mortal World than present-day locusts."
"There’s one more thing. When Aji injured his foot and bled, there was an odd aura at the wound, did you sense it?"
"Well, now that you mention it, I do remember thinking it might be a formula commonly used by Heavenly Masters..."
She wanted to say more, but Changtian pinched her cheek and said: "The truth will eventually come to light; for now, rest. The path ahead is even more dangerous, and you need to replenish your energy."
Ning Xiaoxian was somewhat tired, yawned upon hearing and slowly fell asleep in his embrace. Changtian emitted faint golden Protective Gang Qi, driving away the Evil Qi, allowing her to sleep more comfortably.
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Amazingly, there were no disturbances during this sleep, everyone rested sweetly, and upon awakening, although muscles were still sore, their energy had mostly recovered.
The moment to part ways was fast approaching. After all, they were adventure partners; Boss Kun would not stand by and let them face danger alone, hence he ordered Fourth to send little ghosts into the water for underwater reconnaissance.
Ghosts lack physical form, so even if they encounter monsters underwater, they remain mostly unharmed.
Another two hours passed, and the second batch of little ghosts crawled out of the water, reluctantly moving towards their master. Keen observers could discern that these ghosts were slowly gaining power and would soon break free from Fourth’s control. The Heavenly Masters could feel the omnipresent Evil Power, while Ning Xiaoxian and Changtian simply knew it was the malicious Evil Qi nurturing the ghosts.
"There’s nothing that can move underwater." This was the first scanning result from the little ghosts.
Boss Kun felt uneasy and wanted to have them check again, but seeing Fourth’s face pale, it’s clear that his normally adept ghost-controlling technique was straining him, so he gave up and nodded to the trio.
Han Chunlin, Aji, and another Heavenly Master collected Silver from Boss Kun, took out a large water bag from their bosom, filled it with air and tied it tightly, making a float, which could provide oxygen if passing through caves or needing to dive.
Aji mumbled, and Boss Kun sighed sadly: "Very well, you may go."
After observing the flow direction in the Underground Lake, the three finally jumped into the water.
They seem adept at swimming; after a few dozen meters, they dive deep. Though the Underground Lake has gentle currents, experienced individuals can discern the hydrological direction. If there are no obstacles ahead, following the flow out of this perilous place is not impossible. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, Monthly Tickets, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)