Chapter 29: Once Again at Death’s Door, Two Little Friends
She recalled the scene before she had fallen unconscious and that unforgettable taste, giving rise to countless conjectures, leaving her speechless with shock.
—His blood was very pure, so it could merge with her body? But at this moment, the blood flowing through her body carried a clear imprint of her soul; it was clearly her own blood. How had his blood turned into her Heavenly Phoenix True Blood?
She stared wide-eyed at Chen Changsheng, utterly bewildered, somewhat helpless, and thus innocent.
This was the first time in her fifteen years of life that she had been so clueless, so adorable.
Chen Changsheng didn’t know how to explain it to her, nor did he intend to. But worried that she, having just barely escaped death’s grasp and still very weak, needing rest, might develop new problems from such a severe mental shock, he decided to fabricate some excuses. However, no sooner had he spoken than his words were drowned out by a roll of thunder.
Rumble—
A deep, resounding thunderclap came from afar, passing directly through the tomb’s gate and reaching their ears.
Chen Changsheng was puzzled, thinking that the rain had just stopped before dawn—why was there still thunder? He helped her sit against a stone pillar, placed the prepared water and food beside her, said a word, and then dashed out of the tomb.
Through the long passageway, he emerged outside the tomb and looked toward the source of the thunder. His face instantly turned even paler.
Where the thunder originated, there was no rain, not even clouds, yet the azure sky was also invisible, because that patch of sky in the distance was occupied by a massive shadow.
Beneath that shadow was a black line like a surging tide.
Though he couldn’t see clearly, his spiritual sense mercilessly and coldly revealed the truth: that black line was a beast tide composed of countless demonic beasts, two hundred li away. If they maintained their current speed, they would reach this tomb in about a day.
There was no time to ponder why the demonic beasts in the grasslands had suddenly attacked, moving like an army, or whether someone was commanding them. He turned and ran back into the tomb, rushed to Xu Yourong’s side, lifted her horizontally, and said, “We have to leave.”
Throughout their journey, there had been plenty of physical contact between them, but this kind of embrace was naturally different. Xu Yourong hadn’t yet emerged from her dazed state when a faint blush crept over her. But before her shyness could turn into annoyance, his words startled her.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s a beast tide, probably heading for the tomb. It might be under command, likely the Demon race.”
“It should be the Soul Wood.”
With these two brief exchanges, they had shared enough information and offered their judgments.
Chen Changsheng carried her out of the tomb. At that moment, the black line formed by the beast tide still seemed far off on the horizon, with no movement yet, but he knew those terrifying demonic beasts had drawn closer. Xu Yourong finally saw this spectacular scene. Without panic, she directly asked the most crucial question: “Where do we go?”
With such a fearsome beast tide approaching, even if they weren’t wounded and exhausted, even if they were at their peak with their artifacts by their side, they couldn’t handle this situation. As Chen Changsheng had said, leaving was inevitable.
But where could they go? This grassland was so mysterious and dangerous. Without the guidance of the yellow paper umbrella, they would never have reached this tomb, and the umbrella’s direction came from that sword intent.
Though Xu Yourong didn’t know the details, she had already deduced that the umbrella would only point toward the tomb.
If they now left the tomb and ventured into the grassland, the yellow paper umbrella certainly couldn’t guide them to a second destination. They would inevitably get lost in this grassland and die like those senior experts before them.
Fortunately, what they saw next spared them this worry—though using the word “fortunately” seemed highly inappropriate. Around the tomb in the grassland, they could see black lines of beast tides in every direction. All paths of escape were cut off.
Chen Changsheng remained silent for a long time. He still had many questions: how had the beast tide formed, whether their entry into Zhou Dufu’s tomb had triggered some prohibition, why no demonic beasts had attacked them along the way, and why these beasts seemed to be under someone’s command. But Xu Yourong had already provided the answers.
“Nanke forbade those beasts from attacking us because she wanted to track us to Zhou Dufu’s tomb.”
The Soul Pivot in the tomb came from White Emperor City and could command and control demonic beasts, but the crucial Soul Wood wasn’t in the stone chamber. Now it seemed that piece of Soul Wood must be in Nanke’s hands. As for why that was, it was something they didn’t need to worry about now.
That black line contained countless demonic beasts, many unimaginably powerful. Even from two hundred li away, he could sense that some beasts exuded auras comparable to human experts at the Star Gathering Realm.
Not to mention the terrifying true form of that shadow in the sky.
He asked, “Since she can control the beasts, why not just have them lead the way? Why bother tracking us?”
Xu Yourong said, “The Soul Wood might need to be together with the Soul Pivot to unleash its full effect. Or for some reason, she can’t communicate with those beasts. They only follow her into battle but do nothing else.”
After saying this, they both fell silent again.
The black lines of the beast tide surrounded the tomb. Even if they were peak Star Gathering Realm experts, breaking out would be extremely difficult. At this point, making these analyses was indeed meaningless.
The grassland after the rain was slightly chilly. The green trees growing from the cracks in the tomb’s stones were too short to block the wind. As the breeze brushed their faces, Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, “Let’s go back.”
Since they couldn’t leave, staying in the tomb became the best and only choice.
Xu Yourong said, “I don’t want to die in someone else’s grave.”
Chen Changsheng’s thinking was more worldly. He said, “But it’s a bit cold outside.”
Xu Yourong took out her Wu Bow from somewhere and thrust it into a crack in the stones. With a rustling sound, countless green leaves sprouted from the long bow, fluttering in the wind, but blocking all the cold air outside.
When Chen Changsheng had woken up in the cliff cave, he hadn’t seen the tree formed by the Wu Bow. This was his first time seeing it. Feeling its powerful defensive aura, he said in surprise, “Could it be a Tong Palace?”
Xu Yourong’s expression shifted slightly. She thought, are you really just a hidden disciple of a Snow Mountain Sect? How can you have so many secrets? How can you recognize this as a Tong Palace at a single glance?
When Chen Changsheng had carried her out, he hadn’t forgotten to wrap the linen cloth around her. Now he spread the cloth on the ground, helped her sit down, and said, “Since you don’t want to go inside, it’s fine to just watch from here.”
There was no escape; death was still certain. Xu Yourong, who had just walked the edge of death, had seen her true nature. Her mind was clearer than ever before. She didn’t dwell on the secrets hidden in Chen Changsheng, remaining calm and composed.
“If I’d known this, why bother doing all that earlier? It was a waste.”
Chen Changsheng disagreed with her view. “Living even one more moment is good. Not to mention a day, even an hour, a breath, or even an instant—it’s all good.”
Xu Yourong sensed his sincerity and thought, what a person who cherishes and loves life so deeply. Only someone like this could be so kind, right? He truly is a good person.
“Thank you for your blood.”
Thinking of the scene she had witnessed and the taste she had smelled, even in her state of newfound tranquility and unparalleled peace, her expression subtly changed, and her gaze at him grew complex.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then said, “There’s something wrong with my blood. I don’t know what it is, but anyone or anything that smells my blood wants to eat me. No one can resist that temptation.”
Aside from his severed meridians, dim fate, and impending death at twenty, this was his greatest secret. He had never told Luo Luo or Tang Thirty-Six, but now, in front of Xu Yourong, he spoke it calmly. This didn’t mean he trusted this girl more than Luo Luo or Tang Thirty-Six, but because the current circumstances were special, like when he first saw the Black Dragon underground—under the pressure of death, people always wanted to say something.
Hearing his words, Xu Yourong said, “I don’t have that thought.”
Chen Changsheng laughed. “You really are a competitive girl. Not wanting to drink my blood or eat my flesh isn’t something to be proud of. And don’t forget, I knocked you out.”
Xu Yourong, seeing through his thoughts, wasn’t angry. She smiled and said, “Then what makes you think I should believe your story?”
“You should have felt it just now,” Chen Changsheng said, recalling how he had nearly lost his mind and drained his own blood. I felt it myself, he thought. Then he said seriously, “And my senior brother told me this. I believe him.”
Xu Yourong was a bit surprised. “You have a senior brother?”
Chen Changsheng said helplessly, “I also have a master.”
Xu Yourong didn’t like his tone and said with a hint of annoyance, “Smooth talker.”
Chen Changsheng reluctantly admitted, “I caught it from a friend.”
“Someone as dull as you has friends?” Xu Yourong teased.
Chen Changsheng said, “Someone as aloof and proud as you can have friends, so why can’t I?”
“When did I ever tell you I have friends?”
As she said this, her delicate brows seemed to lift, looking quite smug. It was petulance, or childishness, or just being contrary. Chen Changsheng couldn’t understand why having no friends was something to be proud of. Once again, he felt that this genius girl from the Xiu Ling tribe was somewhat lonely and pitiful. He smiled and asked, “…Then what about me?”
Xu Yourong hadn’t expected to hear that. Looking at him with a smile, she said, “You count.”
(Guess what time the next chapter is? Also, it’s Monday—don’t forget to cast your recommendation votes. Hands clasped in thanks.)