Chapter 227

As the karmic fire enveloped Xin Jiyue, two wisps of purple mist rose from his eyes, coalescing into a distorted human face. The gruff voice spoke again:

“I’m giving you a chance. If I’m with you, you might survive going to Heartless Island.”

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent, only intensifying the karmic fire.

“I’ll wait for you on Heartless Island, waiting to see your miserable end.”

Hearing this, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly said, “You should first think about your own situation on Heartless Island.”

The human face froze for a fleeting moment, but Li Zhuiyuan still caught a hint of fear from it.

Indeed, this fellow was not the master of Heartless Island. Its role was more like a steward helping its master “manage affairs” outside, with the task of collecting karmic energy. It wanted to join his team, partly hoping to share in the merits of their journey, and partly perhaps to escape Heartless Island.

A single steward on the island had such power, capable of commanding three subordinates of this level. How terrifying, then, must the master of Qiu Manor on Heartless Island be?

The face could no longer withstand the searing karmic fire and disintegrated, along with the purple mist, vanishing completely.

Li Zhuiyuan withdrew his hand and stood up.

Wu Qinqiang and Xin Jiyue were now cold corpses. Before being controlled by that entity, both had been trying hard to demonstrate their worth, hoping to join his team. Especially Wu Qinqiang; he actually had good potential and a sharp mind. But they had long ago willingly surrendered their indentured servitude contracts, leaving them no chance for a fresh start.

Below, the old woman let out a sharp cry from her throat, pulling the long spear from the Boatman’s chest. However, she didn’t rush toward the high ground but turned and ran in another direction, towards the location of the supply and marketing cooperative. Li Zhuiyuan knew she was going to destroy the “gift package.”

If Xin Jiyue hadn't died, the old woman would likely have "lost her head," charging forward like a madwoman, acting aggressive while exposing various weaknesses. In short, she would have been killed "safely but thrillingly." Then, after the Lighthouse Old Man killed Lin Shuyou, he would also be successfully avenged by Li Zhuiyuan's group. Finally, it would be time to collect the spoils. And since these spoils were only suitable for a spirit medium, they would naturally fall to the new member, Xin Jiyue.

Now, the play had fallen apart. Naturally, they weren't willing to leave the gift package, originally reserved for "themselves," to others. However, while Li Zhuiyuan remained in place, Run Sheng, after smashing Wu Qinqiang's head with a shovel, had already moved downwards with Yin Meng. In contrast, the entity controlling them, affected by "being discovered," experienced emotional fluctuations, leading to a delay in issuing new commands to the old woman.

Run Sheng and Yin Meng were both running, Run Sheng faster, leading the way. Run Sheng extended his right arm, and Yin Meng drew her demon-expelling whip, flicking it forward and tying a section of it to Run Sheng’s arm. The next moment, Run Sheng pulled hard on the whip, throwing Yin Meng forward as he ran. They had never practiced this maneuver before, as it was very easy to get injured. In fact, Yin Meng, thrown into mid-air, did experience a moment of disorientation. Fortunately, Little Yuan Ge’s voice echoed in her mind, reminding her.

In a semi-numb state, she almost instinctively pulled out a string of poison jars and threw them to her right. The jars collided and exploded in front, turning into a colorful cascade of poison. Just in time, it blocked the old woman’s path. It was precisely this timely obstruction that allowed Run Sheng to catch up to her. After leaping onto the rooftop, he raised his Yellow River Shovel and swung it at her. The old woman horizontally placed her spear, blocking the Yellow River Shovel, while she herself retreated continuously, her body trembling.

This was not her true strength, but it wasn't an act either. That entity, fearing that these three might cause too much damage to his "new team," had preemptively instigated a conflict between the old woman and the Boatman. Not only did the Boatman die, but the old woman's own injuries had not healed well. Furthermore, blood was seeping from the old woman’s abdomen, likely another deliberate safeguard that could later be explained as a dying counterattack from the Boatman when she ambushed him. With things made this easy, it would be a joke if Run Sheng still couldn't gain the upper hand.

Under continuous attacks, the old woman’s condition worsened, and her parries with the spear became increasingly strained. She wanted to escape, but every time she made a move, poison jars would appear and explode prematurely, forcing her back into the combat zone. Moreover, unlike the first time when a string of poison jars was needed, after Run Sheng engaged her, Yin Meng only needed one jar for subsequent interruptions, just a simple delay. If the old woman dared to charge head-on, she would expose her back to Run Sheng. Although it was the same combat mode as before, this time the fight felt much smoother, even enjoyable.

Yin Meng continuously moved around the periphery, adjusting her tactical position based on the flow of the battle. In the past, it wasn't that she lacked this awareness, but rather that she simply didn't know where to move. She would either follow Little Yuan Ge's prior verbal instructions or, seeing an enemy about to escape, charge recklessly with poison jars, ready to self-detonate with them.

“So, Little Yuan Ge used to think we were so stupid when he watched us fight.”

“Focus.”

Yin Meng was startled. The feeling of a teacher tapping a blackboard in her mind when she was distracted was truly unsettling.

Following the instructions Li Zhuiyuan sent to his mind, Run Sheng merely suppressed the old woman, not risking a forced attempt to end the battle. This left the old woman and the entity behind her indignant and furious. They either had to leave the battlefield to destroy the gift package, or fight desperately to inflict significant damage here, but now, neither was achievable. And because the "setup" was too effective, under continuous fighting, the old woman’s injuries grew increasingly severe. Blood constantly flowed from her abdomen, the toxins on her back, not yet fully cleared, continued to fester, and her aura became weaker and weaker.

Li Zhuiyuan also made his move at this moment.

After Run Sheng forced the old woman back again, a giant eye coincidentally appeared beneath her feet, binding her legs. Run Sheng’s energy gates immediately opened wide, and he charged forward like a fierce tiger. The old woman let out a sharp shriek, and purple flames ignited in her eyes, flowing out from her eye sockets like molten metal, covering her body. This was a hysterical, desperate struggle. However, Run Sheng immediately closed his energy gates and retreated rapidly, like thunder without rain.

The old woman’s eyes widened. She wanted to pursue Run Sheng, but giant eyes rapidly appeared one after another beneath her feet, constantly impeding her movements, making her feel as if she were stuck in quicksand. This was Zhen Shao’an’s specialty: the giant eye binding formation. Its advantage was quick deployment, and one didn't need to worry about its short duration, as it could be compensated for by repeated use.

The purple flowed dry from the old woman’s eyes. The final secret technique had drained her dry, yet yielded no results. Finally, with a “thud,” she fell forward onto both knees, collapsing onto the ground. With empty eye sockets, a relaxed smile appeared on her face. Clearly, that entity knew she was no longer useful and released its control over her, allowing her own emotions to return and manifest.

“I’m free… finally free…”

Her mind began to review her life. When she was still young, she met that person who promised to grant her powers unlike others, to make her different from ordinary people, and then…

“Whack!”

The old woman’s recollection had just begun when it abruptly ended, as her head was sliced off by Run Sheng’s Yellow River Shovel. Combat is a life-or-death business; there’s no time for leisurely reminiscing.

“Phew…”

Run Sheng let out a breath, resting the blood-dripping shovel by his side. This wasn't fatigue; it was more like he’d just warmed up. Indeed, not having to use his own brain felt comfortable.

Li Zhuiyuan withdrew the red threads from them. This was the first practical test, and the effect was indeed very good. However, after only two steps forward, Li Zhuiyuan felt a dizzy spell. He had to cover his forehead and squat down. Seeing this, Run Sheng quickly ran over and asked, “Little Yuan, are you tired?” Yin Meng also opened a can of Jianlibao and handed it over: “Little Yuan Ge, drink quickly.”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head; he wasn’t tired. Instead, he found various scenes from Run Sheng’s and Yin Meng’s perspectives, along with their emotions, appearing in his consciousness. This was almost impossible before, but now it was truly happening. Could it be because he was currently an inner demon?

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the distracting thoughts in his mind. When he opened them again, clarity had returned to his gaze.

“Little Yuan?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Li Zhuiyuan took the Jianlibao from Yin Meng and took a sip. “The hiding place for the gift package won’t be complicated; it should be easy to find. Run Sheng Ge, Mengmeng, you two split up now and search the supply and marketing cooperative, the lighthouse, and that fishing boat. Focus on hidden compartments in floors or walls, places where shrines or altars might be concealed.”

“Understood.”

“Understood.”

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand, signaling them to go quickly, while he planned to go back and check on the camp. There was only one explosion at the camp, meaning Tan Wenbin’s operation there had been successful.

As he walked, Li Zhuiyuan suddenly stopped. The sea breeze blew across his face, bringing a salty, cool freshness. The youth’s eyes went from calm to cold, then back to calm. Influenced by these stray thoughts, his main body was beginning to “stir restlessly.” This didn't mean his new treatment plan was wrong; on the contrary, it proved that the new treatment plan was truly effective. The reason he hadn't been affected by these things before was that his condition had erased this part.

However, if this were the case, then his Wei Zhengdao black leather book secret art and the newly deduced red threads would no longer be perfectly suitable for him. If used too much, once the stray thoughts accumulated to a certain extent, he might have to dig a hole under the peach grove and become a neighbor.

The youth took a sip of his drink, then raised the bottle forward and poured the remaining liquid onto the ground, as if making a toast.

“Don’t get cocky too soon. Do you think I don’t have a way to solve this problem?”

Li Zhuiyuan took out the Nameless Book and turned to the first page. Inside the cage, the white bone powder of the “Evil Book” was piled into a small mound, with a section of a white bone arm stuck on top, gesturing with an index finger. Putting everything else aside, the “Evil Book”’s optimistic and resilient attitude in adversity was certainly commendable. This fellow was drained once every day, yet stubbornly persisted in displaying its performance art. Well, extending just the index finger showed resilience; it didn’t dare to raise its middle finger.

The youth’s fingertips brushed against the page, thinking:

Who says an inner demon can only backlash against the main body once? After this wave is over, when I return, I can totally have another inner demon backlash with A Li’s help. Even if my main body is already locked in a cage, I can still release “him” first, just for formality. At that time, I’ll carefully select and consider the stray thoughts accumulated through secret arts in each wave. Some can be kept as templates to savor and learn from, while the useless and redundant ones will be dumped entirely onto the main body for digestion. This way, it won’t affect my recovery, nor will I have to worry about the side effects of the secret art.

Ha,

In an “academic context,” I refer to myself as an inner demon and you as the main body. But outside, you’re nothing more than a trash can in my eyes.

In the image, the “Evil Book”’s unyielding index finger slowly retracted, as it sensed a heart-palpitating fear that was even greater.

The formation flag had already been planted in the ground inside the tent by Tan Wenbin. Immediately, a deafening roar came from outside. Whether the sky collapsed or not was unknown, but the ground certainly seemed to have sunk. Zipping open the tent, Tan Wenbin stepped out. Thirty meters in front of him was a circular pit, scorched black inside. At its center stood an old man covered in blood. The old man’s lower body seemed to be stuck underground, like a radish. But on closer inspection, it was revealed that the old man’s lower body was gone, completely crushed, leaving only his upper body standing there like a bust.

Normally, this formation couldn’t produce such a powerful effect, but with an internal traitor providing incorrect information, the old man, after sensing the formation activate, confidently stood at the “gate of life,” and was then subjected to concentrated fire. If he had dodged, or moved even a meter or half a meter, he wouldn’t have met such a tragic end. Purple blood flowed from the old man’s eyes, making him look extremely grotesque. Even so, Tan Wenbin still didn’t dare to go down into the pit to approach. He stood at the edge, rolled up his sleeves, revealing a crossbow tied there. He raised the crossbow, aimed, and fired.

“Whoosh!”

The talisman arrow struck the old man and, activated by the purple blood on his body, exploded with a “bang.” Tan Wenbin took out a second talisman arrow, re-strung the crossbow, and aimed again.

“Whoosh.”

“Bang!”

“Whoosh!”

“Bang!”

The Lighthouse Old Man opened his mouth. That entity, having determined he was beyond saving, released its control over him.

“Please… give me… give me a quick end…”

“Alright. Is there a quick-end fee?”

“In my daughter’s belly… the statue…”

“You’re truly a monster, turning your own daughter into a censer cauldron?”

“She’s already dead… I don’t want her to leave me…”

“But becoming an undead puppet will be very painful.”

It was like not being able to reincarnate after death, enduring terrible torment indefinitely. Little Oriole could become somewhat normal and even serve as a nanny because of the entity under the peach grove who helped conceal and bear her burden.

“Give me a… quick end… please…”

“No problem.”

Tan Wenbin continued to string the crossbow and aim.

“Whoosh!”

“Bang!”

“Whoosh!”

“Bang!”

With the final crisp sound, the old man’s body completely split apart, turning into a puddle of fragmented flesh. Tan Wenbin shot another arrow at the fragmented flesh. Seeing that the demon-dispelling talisman arrow no longer reacted, he then tied a small jar of Yin Meng’s corpse-dissolving liquid to the next arrow. As the arrow struck, the jar shattered, the corpse-dissolving liquid spilled out, and the body began to melt. Only then did Tan Wenbin feel relieved, putting away his crossbow. He couldn’t afford to be careless; he was the only one standing, with an unconscious Lin Shuyou lying behind him.

After finishing these tasks, Tan Wenbin sat down, preparing to cook something hot for himself. He had been pretending to be sick for a while, constantly being fed water and a little liquid food. His stomach had been growling for ages. He now desperately wanted to make a pack of fried noodles with dehydrated vegetables, boil them in a pot, and then add some chili. However, looking at the two pots in front of him, Tan Wenbin was stumped. He couldn’t tell which pot Run Sheng used for cooking and which Yin Meng had used.

“Seriously, do you two need to wash the pots this clean?”

Left with no choice, Tan Wenbin had to rummage through Lin Shuyou’s backpack for something to eat. Then, he found a jar of tiger penis wine. No matter a man’s age, he would never openly admit to needing such a thing, stubbornly believing himself a youth until death. But Tan Wenbin really needed this now. Anyone who had been exhaled upon by two vengeful infants for so long would desperately want something aphrodisiac to warm their body.

Opening the jar, a rich alcoholic aroma wafted out. Tan Wenbin had two adopted sons there, so he didn’t worry about drinking causing problems. He gulped it down, faster than Little Yuan drank Jianlibao. After drinking, Tan Wenbin let out a burp. Immediately after, two more sounds came from beside his ears. The two children were a bit dizzy, pointing at each other and giggling foolishly. The alcohol fumes, like offerings, had been completely absorbed by the two, leaving Tan Wenbin with only the rehydrated, alcohol-free essence. But drinking only liquid wasn’t enough to fill him up. Tan Wenbin took the tiger penis out of the jar and took a bite.

“Crunch, crunch…”

Honestly, it didn’t taste bad at all. It was just a bit sticky on the teeth and very chewy, not easy to chew thoroughly. He had only chewed half when Tan Wenbin caught sight of Little Yuan Ge.

“Little Yuan Ge!”

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the pit. As expected, Brother Binbin was still meticulous, even handling the disposal of the body.

“Little Yuan Ge, do you want to try some? It’s pretty good, like chewing gum that lasts a long time.”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: “Ah You specifically brought this back for you from Fujian.”

Tan Wenbin: “Are there many tigers in Fujian?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Historically, tigers were once a serious problem.”

Later, they became scarce. Nowadays, many official temples and wealthy families in Fujian pride themselves on tiger skins collected by their ancestors; it’s almost a standard display, and they even bring the skins out for parades during festivals.

Li Zhuiyuan sat down nearby, picked up a pot, started a fire, and began cooking rice.

“Oh, right, Little Yuan Ge, the old man from the lighthouse said that the statue he worshipped was inside his daughter, who became an undead puppet.”

“Run Sheng Ge and the others should be able to find it. Undead puppets can’t escape Run Sheng Ge’s nose.”

“Yes, it’s also a way to help his daughter find peace.” Tan Wenbin paused. “Little Yuan Ge, can you tell which pot Mengmeng used?”

“Her pot has a mark here; I had her carve it.”

“Oh, that’s good then.” Tan Wenbin rubbed his cheek, chewing on the tiger penis was tiring. “Honestly, I can really understand these guys. Since arriving on the island, I’ve interacted with many of them. They’re all people whose minds were clouded by the pursuit of power. I feel like I see shadows of myself and Ah You in them.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “The pursuit of power itself isn’t wrong, provided you can maintain control over that power. You and Ah You are different from them. You used fatherly love to influence those two vengeful infants; they can feel it, so they won’t harm you. As for the Child… he treasures Ah You more than anyone now.”

The rice was cooked. Li Zhuiyuan served himself a bowl, and Tan Wenbin took the rest directly from the pot with a spoon. No sooner had they finished eating than Run Sheng and Yin Meng returned. They not only brought back three small, dark statues, but also the altar table, incense burner, bowls, dishes, and everything else. Run Sheng said there was a large millstone-like object on the boat that was difficult to unload; otherwise, he would have brought that back too. Tan Wenbin couldn’t help but chuckle softly. These two truly were a perfect match; fearing they might miss something, they just packed everything up and brought it all back.

Li Zhuiyuan’s fingers carefully traced the three small statues. Although he didn’t know who they were dedicated to, the statues indeed contained something extremely important for Yin Gods, which could be described as a great tonic. Originally, that entity had prepared them to “enhance its own power.” Now, they would all benefit Lin Shuyou. This could also be considered compensation for Lin Shuyou. After all, he was the most injured here, and from the perspective of team interest, Ah You was indeed used as bait this time.

Carrying the three statues, he walked into the tent. Lin Shuyou lay there, sleeping peacefully. Li Zhuiyuan placed the three statues beside Lin Shuyou, opened his right palm, gathered blood mist to his thumb, and then pressed it onto one of the statues.

“Crack!”

The statue shattered, and thick, cyan liquid immediately began to evaporate and disperse. Li Zhuiyuan drew back his palm, enveloped the liquid with his own blood mist, and then guided it onto Lin Shuyou. In an instant, the cyan liquid directly entered Lin Shuyou’s body. Lin Shuyou’s body immediately tensed, and his eyes opened, transforming into vertical pupils. The double lines of these vertical pupils almost seemed to pierce through his eye sockets.

“This is…”

The White Crane Child turned to look at the youth, too excited to speak. The Child knew that the youth always gave a slap then a sweet date, but He still couldn’t avoid “succumbing.” There was no way, the sweet dates were given too generously, making even the memory of the slap feel a bit gentle. No one could refuse such a leader, not even a god!

This was the entity’s accumulation, intended for its own path to join the team and embark on the journey. Now, it all served as a “wedding gown” for Ah You and the Child.

Li Zhuiyuan extended a finger, pointing at the White Crane Child. This gesture was very presumptuous, but there was no hint of displeasure on the Child’s face.

Li Zhuiyuan: “I’ll allow you to open one eye.”

The Child wore a peaceful, innocent smile. He was reluctant, so the dignified Yin God pretended to be hard of hearing. This thing was something he desperately needed. He could absorb as much as there was. If given to his spirit medium, he could absorb at most three-tenths, and that was based on his spirit medium knowing that health-preserving boxing set. It was simply a waste.

The youth: “Hmm?”

The Child immediately closed one eye! Then, realizing He had done wrong, the closed eye opened again, but this eye did not have a vertical pupil.

Li Zhuiyuan, of course, knew that giving this to Ah You to absorb was “not cost-effective,” but some matters couldn’t be judged solely on small gains. The youth opened the remaining two statues as well, directing the cyan liquid onto Lin Shuyou as before. After fully absorbing it, the Child let out a long sigh, the vertical pupils disappeared, and He departed contentedly.

Lin Shuyou remained awake, his gaze clear. But soon, his body began to convulse violently. Stripes of different colors appeared on Lin Shuyou’s face, neck, and arms. It felt like being fully painted and made up before a god parade. Finally, Lin Shuyou fully awoke, sat up, and looked at his arms and chest with a hint of disbelief.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Want a mirror?”

“Little Yuan Ge, I have one.” Lin Shuyou took a mirror from his backpack, looked at his face and neck, then reached out and touched himself. “Little Yuan Ge, this isn’t oil paint?”

Tan Wenbin had been watching the commotion from the tent entrance. Seeing Ah You awaken, he couldn’t help but tease:

“Isn’t this great? Think of how much makeup cost you’ll save for future god parade performances.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Once you slowly absorb these powers, the colors on your body will fade.”

“Little Yuan Ge, thank you…”

Tan Wenbin stepped forward and patted Lin Shuyou’s arm: “Ah You, let’s skip this step, it’ll be a bit awkward.”

Lin Shuyou scratched his head, a little embarrassed, then prepared to stand up. However, with just that push, he rose from a sitting position but maintained his momentum, falling forward again. Fortunately, his hands supported him in time, resulting in a push-up.

Tan Wenbin: “What are you doing?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Excessive power boost, he’s a bit unaccustomed.”

Tan Wenbin: “Ugh, I shouldn’t have opened my mouth.”

Lin Shuyou pushed with his hands again; this time the force was a bit too much, so he simply did a backflip to regain his balance.

“Little Yuan Ge, I feel so strong now!”

Even though he hadn’t entered a trance, it felt like how he used to feel when he did. If circumstances weren’t prohibitive and they weren’t in the middle of their journey, if they were at Uncle Li’s house, he would definitely pull Run Sheng to the fields to practice and see how many energy gates he could force Run Sheng to open even without entering a trance.

“Alright, everyone pack up. We’re getting ready to go to Heartless Island.”

The Nameless Book opened to the second page. The monkey’s posture had changed; it was no longer curled up but faced a certain direction. If Lin Shuyou had remained unconscious, they would really have had to consider waiting two more days, or simply leaving Ah You here to recover. Because based on past journey experience, being diligent and quick often allowed one to gain advantages, leading to exclamations like “Good thing we arrived a step early.” Now, Lin Shuyou didn't need to rest anymore.

Everyone packed their belongings and came to the dock. As they passed the lighthouse, Run Sheng said that even before he started searching, the female undead puppet proactively rushed out, as if seeking death, hitting her stomach against his shovel. Otherwise, given his usual habit of hitting heads with the shovel, he might not have discovered the statue hidden in her belly.

The Boatman’s ship was docked there. Apart from the millstone, it contained only fishing gear and daily necessities; nothing special. The three people on the island, though they had gained power, lived like prisoners, confined there, unable to break free. Li Zhuiyuan examined the millstone and found that besides its compass function, it had a special internal structure that created a responsive effect, like modern automatic doors, which were still uncommon in China at the time. With two “compasses” in hand, there shouldn’t be any issues with direction.

The fuel tank was full. Run Sheng started the boat, taking turns with Tan Wenbin at the helm. Initially, Li Zhuiyuan found a chair and sat at the bow, reading a book by lamplight. Later, the sky grew overcast, and the waves rose, so he had to retreat into the cabin. Seawater repeatedly washed over the deck, and the boat swayed continuously. This was not a normal weather change. One basic use of geomantic phenomena is weather observation, and this sea area should have been predominantly clear during this period. But as they watched, the weather showed an increasing trend towards extreme conditions. It seemed they had arrived at a specific area at a specific time, by boat.

Moreover, both the millstone on the boat and the second page of the Nameless Book, while still pointing in the same general direction, began to change frequently. What was originally a straight path now twisted and turned, as if they had entered a deliberately designed maze. After a series of extremely violent towering waves, the sky seemed to suddenly brighten, but the sunlight was blocked by dark clouds, as if staining the dome a dull, shimmering salted duck egg gray. While full of an ethereal quality, the waves gradually subsided. Looking out, there was a sense of solitude, as if the entire world consisted only of their boat.

Run Sheng slowed the boat. According to the “compass” indication, they should have arrived. Tan Wenbin stood on the deck, lit a cigarette, and looked around, but saw no island. Li Zhuiyuan calculated the surrounding geomantic phenomena and found that this place was a self-contained formation, like an area specially extracted. The first time he encountered such a scene was in that bandit-ridden village; the last time was in the secret realm of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Run Sheng turned off the boat’s engine because the millstone was now spinning in circles, making navigation impossible. The monkey in Li Zhuiyuan’s Nameless Book, meanwhile, curled up again. It should be here.

Just then, Li Zhuiyuan’s peripheral vision seemed to catch something. The youth turned his head to look to his right, where a patch of shimmering scales was floating towards the boat. Everyone else also noticed this scene and stood on one side of the deck, observing carefully. It wasn’t waves, and the dark clouds in the sky hadn’t changed, so there was something beneath them. But what kind of thing could be so massive? The shimmering scales continuously approached. In front of it, the fishing boat was as tiny as a child’s toy.

When it came beneath the boat, everyone’s eyes widened. It was clearly a long, serpentine beast swimming below, and the shimmering light was actually the reflection from its scales. Perhaps due to the sheer shock, no one dared to speak at that moment. The giant beast was still passing beneath the boat; it only needed to exert a little force to lift the entire vessel. They hadn't been particularly afraid of the previous monstrous waves. Everyone here was a good swimmer, and even if the boat capsized, they were confident they could float back to shore with just a piece of wood. Someone like Run Sheng could even catch fish for everyone in the sea. But if there was such a massive, ferocious creature beneath their feet, no one could claim they’d escape alive.

Tan Wenbin spread his arms. Although the boat was perfectly stable, he still looked like he was struggling to maintain balance. The cigarette between his fingers burned until it was hot, yet he didn’t dare to drop it. Run Sheng also wore a solemn expression. Individual strength seemed so minuscule in the face of such unbelievable size. Everyone secretly wondered: Could this thing be the legendary…

Just then, they saw Little Yuan Ge squat down, holding a Yellow River Shovel, and poked it downwards. Everyone was startled at first, then immediately worried about Little Yuan Ge’s safety. But as the shovel continuously swung below, nothing happened. Even though to the naked eye the shovel had seemingly pierced the giant object, it met no resistance whatsoever.

Li Zhuiyuan: “It’s fake.”

Lin Shuyou: “F-fake?”

Tan Wenbin immediately dropped his cigarette butt: “Hiss.”

Run Sheng took out his large shovel, and Yin Meng drew her demon-expelling whip, mimicking the youth’s actions, and began swishing them below. It was indeed fake, just light and shadow beneath the sea surface, with no substance, but it was incredibly realistic. Tan Wenbin lit another cigarette and regretfully said, “Ah, I really thought I saw a dragon.”

Run Sheng: “Lord Tan loves dragons?”

Lin Shuyou curiously asked, “So what exactly was that, a mirage?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It should be an evolution of geomantic phenomena.”

The giant entity beneath the boat swam past. At its tail end, not only was there a clear tapering, but a tail was even visible.

Lin Shuyou: “It’s too similar.”

Yin Meng: “It’s gone.”

The shimmering scales departed.

Lin Shuyou: “It’s back again.”

It turned back again, faster this time. However, with the previous direct verification and knowing it wasn’t real, everyone felt less panicked. This time, after the massive shimmering scales passed beneath the boat, they gradually disappeared, no longer visible on the sea surface.

Yin Meng: “So, where exactly is that island?”

“Heartless Island…” the youth muttered the island’s name in his mind, while looking up at the sky. The dark clouds above seemed to press down collectively a little more at that moment. Li Zhuiyuan immediately seemed to realize something and shouted, “Everyone, grab hold of something nearby that can keep you stable!”

No sooner had he spoken than a giant, menacing maw rapidly burst upwards from beneath the sea surface, with the fishing boat positioned directly in its center. It was constantly surfacing, constantly growing larger. This feeling of being about to be swallowed whole, even knowing it was fake, still made their scalps tingle and their hearts pound. However, the imagined devouring and collision did not occur. The menacing maw appeared swiftly and vanished just as quickly.

Lin Shuyou: “Look quickly, the surrounding sea level is rising!”

Tan Wenbin: “No, we’re descending!”

A massive sea vortex appeared, and the fishing boat was precisely at its center. A powerful suction force continuously pulled the fishing boat downwards. The boat itself didn’t spin like a top, but this sudden sense of weightlessness could easily throw people off.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Yin Meng!”

Yin Meng swung her leather whip, successively binding everyone’s waists. Run Sheng and Lin Shuyou acted as two anchor points, firmly gripping the boat’s hull. They didn’t know how long they descended, but the surrounding sea level was now almost as high as the sky, making them feel as if they were inside a giant well.

Suddenly, the fishing boat plunged beneath the surface, and seawater rushed in. But it was only for a moment. Everyone had just been drenched, and then everything fell silent again. The boat didn’t start its engine, yet it began to move normally. In this area, or rather, this entire circumference, the sea surface sloped downwards.

Looking up at the sky, boundless azure light and shadows created an extremely unreal sensation. Li Zhuiyuan looked down and saw a massive, towering Buddha statue standing on the water below. Most of the statue was submerged, and the Buddha’s head was broken off and missing. However, if the boat continued to slide downwards, it would collide with the Buddha’s hand.

“Start the boat, steer clear!”

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin also noticed the situation below. It wasn’t overly critical, as they were nearing the bottom, but everyone hoped to preserve the boat, as they’d need it for a comfortable return. The engine roared to life. Run Sheng adjusted the rudder, successfully avoiding the Buddha’s hand.

Now, looking down from the boat, they could vaguely discern the shadows of some buildings amidst the pervasive darkness. Although only corners and edges were visible, Li Zhuiyuan still imagined the appearance of some temples. Down here, is it a temple? Isn’t this Heartless Island’s Qiu Manor?

Run Sheng: “Little Yuan, there’s a canyon ahead!”

The downward-sloping seawater poured into the canyon crevice below, while the cluster of buildings was enveloped by this ring of crevices, forming an independent area beneath the sea surface.

Lin Shuyou: “There’s a shore over there!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Head that way!”

Run Sheng quickly turned the rudder, adjusted the boat’s direction, and finally successfully docked in that area. It was called docking, but in reality, it was more like running aground, as the bottom was sand and gravel. However, this wasn’t a big problem. With Run Sheng’s strength, he could easily pull the boat back into the water.

Everyone packed their belongings and disembarked. After walking a distance upwards, they realized the reason this place had a shore was because there was a large bridge spanning the canyon crevice. The bridge was black and exuded an ancient aura. Its massive construction didn’t deter intricate carvings; even after enduring countless years of erosion here, rich textural details were still visible. Walking on the bridge, the wind from the crevice below surged upwards. It didn’t ripple their clothes, but it made them shiver with cold. There were holes beneath the bridge, and as air passed through them, a soft “woo-woo-woo” sound was produced, as if countless people were sobbing on the bridge.

Tan Wenbin reached out and patted his own shoulder. The two children seemed to really like this environment and began to get excited. Arriving at the center of the bridge, a stone tablet stood on each side, inscribed with blood-red characters:

“As long as hell is not empty, I will not attain Buddhahood.”

“When all sentient beings are saved, then I shall attain Bodhi.”

Upon seeing these two stone tablets, Lin Shuyou suddenly showed a pained expression. His eyes continuously bulged, and after staggering, he collapsed to his knees. Tan Wenbin rushed forward, embracing him and asking, “Ah You, what’s wrong?”

Lin Shuyou let out urgent sounds from his throat: “He’s here! He’s here!”

“Who’s here?”

“Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!”