Chapter 133: Water Spirit?

Crocodile blood flowed down the spear. He heard that "haha" sound again. Now he finally knew: it was the crocodile's cry of pain.

At that instant, an idea struck him: if he thrust the spear sharply upward, would it pierce the giant crocodile's brain? Killing this behemoth would surely eliminate the threat entirely, wouldn't it?

But the thought was only fleeting. If the giant crocodile could be killed so easily, wouldn't Wu Shaoyi have tried already? Even if he succeeded, would the crocodile take him down with it? After all, he was still in its mouth. So He Lingchuan quickly dismissed the idea, and instead diligently worked the spear shaft out of the tooth hole, inch by inch. The process made the crocodile cry out in pain.

He also kept a watchful eye, first stepping back onto the stone, then pulling the spear out horizontally, while simultaneously retreating rapidly. It was out. As soon as he had retreated a few yards, the giant crocodile snapped its mouth shut. The crisp "click" of its upper and lower teeth closing echoed throughout the cave.

Seeing it lie motionless, He Lingchuan prompted, "Hey, it's time to take us up."

"He'll die if he moves," the Crocodile God insisted, remaining still. "I'm tired too; I need to rest for a bit." It had been struggling for several hours earlier and was utterly exhausted. The giant crocodile species is not known for its endurance.

Since it had no intention of attacking, He Lingchuan felt slightly relieved. Seizing the opportunity, he rushed back to Wu Shaoyi, lit two more candles, and began examining his injuries. Earlier, he had only given Wu Shaoyi pills to stop the bleeding, but hadn't administered the Shituo powder. Without pain, people can easily turn malicious. He didn't know Wu Shaoyi well enough, so he decided it was better to let him remain in pain.

Away from the water, Wu Shaoyi continued to cough frequently, each cough bringing up blood. The more he examined, the more alarmed He Lingchuan became: "Your injuries are too severe. Your lungs and kidneys are damaged, you have seven fractures, and you've lost most of your blood." The bleeding wounds on Wu Shaoyi's body were over an inch in diameter, and he was still slowly bleeding internally. "If this continues, you'll either drown in your own blood or die from organ failure."

Wu Shaoyi's condition could be summed up in four words: beyond all hope.

"I know," Wu Shaoyi said with a bitter laugh. "I've already used all the medicine I have."

"In your condition, can you swim back to shore with me?" He Lingchuan now understood why the crocodile demon had agreed to the terms so readily. It had likely realized that Wu Shaoyi, its attacker, was on the brink of death, making further revenge unnecessary.

"I can probably hold on," Wu Shaoyi said, his eyes half-closed. "I just don't want to die in utter darkness."

Indeed, dying in a hidden underwater cave or being consumed by a crocodile both counted as meeting a dark end. "If you take me up, I still have a way to save myself. And I will richly reward you."

This was the second time he had brought it up.

After a moment's thought, He Lingchuan gave him another elixir. This was the same miraculous pill he had used months ago when he was severely injured from a cliff fall. It was said that He Chunhua had specifically sought it from the Great Shaman of Zhaomandu, claiming it could force another breath into a dying person. He Chunhua had made sure to stock up on it before leaving Blackwater City this time. Wu Shaoyi found the pill had an unpleasant earthy, fishy smell, as if it were molded directly from river mud, but it dissolved the moment it touched his throat. Soon, a warm current surged through his abdomen, and his limbs seemed to regain some strength.

Meanwhile, He Lingchuan, holding the candle, ventured deeper into the cave. He had earlier suspected something was at the bottom, and while tending to Wu Shaoyi's wounds, he had also caught a foul, fishy smell drifting from within. Now, upon closer inspection, he was greatly startled: "Wh-what is this?"

Illuminated by the candlelight, he saw the enormous remains of a giant turtle! This enormous creature measured over thirteen meters (four *zhang*) from head to tail. Its carapace was tall and thick, adorned with sharp, ridged protrusions, appearing like a small mountain from a human perspective. He Lingchuan knew this creature as a leatherback turtle, but he had never seen one of such immense size before. Undoubtedly, it was a powerful demon with deep cultivation.

The giant turtle's head was missing, its front limbs bitten off, and an entire hind leg was gone. A large gash gaped along its belly, its internal organs spilling out. Blood had flowed onto the rocky beach, congealing into black stains. Crabs, rats, and unknown scavengers were feasting on its body. He Lingchuan suddenly recalled the Water Spirit Shrine in Xianling Village. This dead turtle was likely the Water Spirit of Xianling Lake. The sudden breakage of the Water Spirit tablet yesterday morning must have been due to the giant turtle being killed by the giant crocodile, which in turn caused Ms. Zhu to be slapped by the village chief.

The turtle's shell was covered in gruesome scratches and various deep and shallow perforations. He Lingchuan examined it, then glanced back at the giant crocodile resting with closed eyes on the rocky beach, surmising that these were the marks left by conical crocodile teeth. However, he also noted that no matter how sharp the giant crocodile's teeth were, they hadn't penetrated the turtle's shell. In this clash of offense and defense, the defense had held until the very end. Clearly, the giant crocodile ultimately won by seizing the opportunity to bite the giant turtle's head, crushing it in one go.

This indicated two things. Firstly, the crocodile demon was an outsider, having only entered Xianling Lake in the last two days. It had clashed with and defeated the local lake spirit, a timeline that roughly synchronized with Lu Yao's arrival in Xianling Village. Secondly, the giant turtle also appeared to be a formidable opponent. Therefore, it was likely that the crocodile demon was not yet fully recovered from yesterday morning's fierce battle when it fought Wu Shaoyi today, and was not in its prime. No wonder it agreed to a ceasefire so readily. Both parties were at their limits.

Naturally, He Lingchuan couldn't hide his mix of excitement and bewilderment. The Water Spirit lay dead before him, confirmed to have died yesterday morning. So what was the meaning of the two 'worst possible' divination sticks he had drawn just a few hours ago? Was it truly as He Chunhua suggested, that the giant turtle had tampered with the sticks, ensuring He Lingchuan would always draw the worst possible outcome? Or did this creature possess a spirit even after death? With the Water Spirit dead, who could possibly interpret those two sticks for him now?

He Lingchuan took two more steps closer and suddenly noticed a very faint, pale golden glow emanating from the edge of the turtle's shell, highlighted by the candlelight. He grasped the turtle's shell and tentatively tried to lift it, twice. It didn't budge an inch, as expected.

The crocodile demon suddenly spoke: "Go inside."

"Huh?" He Lingchuan turned, seeing it resting with its eyes closed.

"It has a pearl in its belly, but I can't reach it, nor can my children," the crocodile demon said plainly. "If you can get it out, it's yours. Consider it a thank you for pulling out the spear for me." A crocodile's paws weren't nimble enough for such a delicate task.

A treasure in its belly?

He Lingchuan looked at the mountain-like remains and the black blood on the ground. To retrieve the treasure, he would have to crawl inside this creature's belly? It was too bloody, too filthy, too gruesome... But he had to go.

He Lingchuan bowed twice to the giant turtle, muttering to himself, "Water Spirit, you have ascended, so be generous; do not blame me for disrespecting your remains."

The turtle's belly already had a gaping hole. He took out his broken knife and enlarged the opening, making it easier to crawl inside. Even though it had been torn open by the giant crocodile, the giant turtle's hide and flesh were still far tougher than hundred-year-old vines. Had his broken knife not been incomparably sharp, He Lingchuan might not have been able to cut through it with any other blade.