Chapter 277: The Sword's Call
Those chests were very heavy. As soon as they appeared, the speed at which Chen Changsheng and the two women sank toward the lake bottom increased.
A strange look appeared in the women's eyes. They had no idea how these chests had appeared or what they contained.
The chests were not locked. Under the impact of the lake water, their lids were flung open. Bathed in the soft, beautiful glow of the light wings, the contents of the chests began to emit another kind of soft, beautiful radiance.
It was a nearly holy white light, possessing unimaginable allure—at least to humans. If not for this life-or-death struggle, perhaps the two women would have thought so too.
What the chests held was silver. The luster they gave off was called silver light, more real than starlight, more tempting, and thus more beautiful.
This silver included the travel money and living expenses given to Chen Changsheng by his master and senior brother before he left Xining Town, a portion of the apprenticeship gift from Luoluo, Tang Thirty-Six's generous share, and generous gifts from the priests of the Li Palace. He had never counted the exact amount, only finding ways to exchange it all for silver ingots and carrying it with him.
Now, at the most dangerous moment of his life, he used all this silver at once.
Within the space of the light wings, countless silver ingots were churned and tumbled by the lake water, striking him and the two women like stones on their bodies and faces.
But this was not enough. It was insufficient to break open these light wings.
More was needed.
So Chen Changsheng's divine sense continued to delve deeper into the hilt of the short sword.
What appeared next was a night pearl.
This night pearl was round and large, bigger and rounder than the ones embedded at the edge of the Sweet Dew Terrace, even larger and rounder than those on the ceiling of the underground cave where the Black Dragon dwelled. This night pearl was the first gift Luoluo had given him, looking more like a washbasin. Of course, to the two women who had lived year-round in the Snow Old City, they might have preferred to describe this astonishingly large night pearl as a holy moon.
But they had no time to be shocked, moved, and then frenzied like ordinary women. On one hand, they were in the middle of a battle. On the other, the night pearl smashed directly into the face of the demon woman. Even in the lake water, that dull thud was unmistakably clear. The next moment, green blood flowed from the demon woman's nose.
The demon woman was furious and flustered. She had no idea where this night pearl had suddenly appeared from, and the blow was indeed heavy.
But this still wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to help Chen Changsheng break free from the binding of these light wings.
So Chen Changsheng's divine sense continued deeper into the sword hilt, retrieving one item after another.
What appeared next… was half a roasted whole lamb.
As if still steaming, half a roasted lamb appeared within the light wings, slamming directly into the dignified woman.
Clearly, this woman had some cleanliness obsession. Embracing half a greasy roasted lamb nearly drove her mad.
But this wasn't all.
One roast chicken, two roast chickens, three roast chickens… a dozen roast chickens, like stones from a catapult, appeared within the light wings, continuously hurling at her.
There were also roasted deer tail from Liaobei Prefecture, grilled fish from Wanzhou Prefecture, the spicy thirteen dishes of Wenshui, steamed double-headed fish from the South Sea…
Chen Changsheng's divine sense moved in rapid succession. Countless pieces of food appeared one after another, instantly filling the space within the light wings.
These were all foods the Black Dragon had demanded he prepare before leaving the capital. But now, the Black Dragon was merely a separated soul attached to a jade ruyi, and no matter how much it wanted to eat, it couldn't consume this much.
So these foods had remained, extremely fresh, very fragrant, incredibly robust, preserving their original flavors.
Within the light wings, roast chickens flew alongside duck wings; red soup mingled with persimmon fruits.
A complete mess. Utter chaos.
Countless foods and juices mixed together, extremely disgusting.
"What is this?!"
The demon woman squeezed her head out from a pile of silver hook braised jade vegetables, shouting angrily, her eyes filled with panic.
The last thing Chen Changsheng retrieved was what he had the most of in this life—books.
No one had ever known that the three thousand Daoist scriptures from the old temple in Xining Town were no longer in that temple, but by his side.
He released the three thousand scriptures, using them to strike.
Boom!
Countless books filled the space formed by the light wings.
The light wings could no longer close.
Accompanied by the shocked, even absurd cries of the two women, the light wings scattered.
Books and food turned into countless swift arrows, shooting in all directions through the lake water, then gradually slowing down.
Unfortunately, although the light wings were broken, the two women did not release Chen Changsheng. He continued sinking deeper into the lake.
Those books and food, the night pearl and silver chests, surrounded him in the lake water, sinking together with him. The scene was extraordinarily strange.
The night pearl, not far from him, illuminated the pitch-black lake water, lighting up all the falling objects, allowing him to see clearly.
Those books and food, the night pearl and silver chests, various medicinal herbs—these were his life, his memories, or rather, his entire existence.
Looking at these things, he easily recalled the days over a decade ago by the stream outside the old temple in Xining Town, reciting Daoist scriptures with his senior brother. He remembered the little girl who climbed over the wall from the Herb Garden into the National Academy. As he sank into the lake water, he thought of many things, many people.
Wealthy Tang Thirty-Six, penniless Xuanyuan Po, Jin Yulu sitting at the National Academy gate drinking tea, the Pope, Meilisha, his master, senior brother—are you all well?
Then he saw a letter and a small trinket, which reminded him of that white crane.
Continuing deeper into the lake, it grew colder, death drew nearer, his breath grew weaker. Though his eyes were still open, they looked very calm.
His eyes were so clear, even in the lake water, they felt like a pristine lake, reflecting what people were thinking.
This calmness and clarity made the two women feel an unprecedented unease, as if on the first day of their lives, seeing the indifference in the young girl Nan Ke's brows.
Among the things drifting down with Chen Changsheng to the lake bottom, the brightest was naturally the night pearl. They didn't notice that behind the night pearl's glow, a metal ball was hidden. The lake water gently stirred, and the metal ball slowly fell into his palm. Subconsciously, he curled his fingers and gripped it tightly.
That faint, ethereal sword intent was still at the deepest part of the lake, as if summoning him to cut open a path to survival. But his blood was nearly spent, his breath fading. Even if he sensed it, what could he do? Even if he held the metal ball, he had no way to open the yellow paper umbrella. What could he do?
Suddenly, the metal ball in his palm trembled violently, then began to spin at high speed!
Clatter! The scale-like lines on the metal ball's surface split open, accompanied by clear metallic friction and the clash of springs. In an instant, it bloomed into an umbrella, bursting forth a spray of water deep in the lake!
The yellow paper umbrella reappeared in Chen Changsheng's hand!
The two women noticed this only now, but it was too late.
The yellow paper umbrella spun at high speed, churning up countless splashes. Its seemingly blunt edges left several deep, bone-deep bloody gashes on the two women's bodies!
Painful cries arose. The two women were blasted away by the powerful force.
The lake bottom churned violently, as if boiling again. The yellow paper umbrella carried the now-unconscious Chen Changsheng, transforming into a water dragon, smashing through the lake water, breaking open a passage, and speeding toward a certain spot several li away!
That ethereal sword intent was right there.
So it turned out that from beginning to end, that sword intent had not been summoning Chen Changsheng, but this umbrella!
(Prize quiz: What is the relationship between that sword intent and the yellow paper umbrella? Later, I'll post the question on the WeChat public account. Everyone, rush to answer. The top three correct answers will receive prizes! Mm-hmm, every time I hold a quiz, it's when I'm happiest and most pleased. Isn't the greatest joy of writing stories precisely this?)