Chapter 10: Below the Nine-Story Ship Tower

The deck of the bronze ship was very long.

The two walked nearly a kilometer along the bulwark through the ethereal mist before the Golden Crow's remains gradually became clear.

One of its wings covered the stele forest on the deck, while the other rested on the nine-story superstructure. Even a giant beast like the Nine-Headed Serpent appeared slightly diminutive in comparison.

It had been dead here for an unknown number of years, yet its body was not cold; it shimmered golden, with a flow of fiery light.

Even standing a hundred meters away, waves of heat could be felt emanating from the corpse.

Each feather of the Golden Crow's remains was dozens of times larger than an adult human body, iridescent and incredibly beautiful. It was hard to imagine how magnificent it must have been when it was alive.

Could it be true, as myths suggest, that it could transform into a sun traversing the heavens?

The fatal wound on its body was in its head, pierced by an unknown sharp object, forming a horrifying three-meter-long bloodied hole.

The Golden Crow blood used for cultivation was drawn from a blood pool over twenty meters in diameter beneath the wound. When first collected, the blood in the bucket was almost boiling, requiring special treatment to cool down.

Li Weiyi stood by the blood pool, observing the Golden Crow's blood, which was bright red with a faint golden shimmer.

The smell of blood was strong but not pungent.

Instead, there was an enticing, savory aroma of blood.

If not for the Golden Crow's ominous reputation as a "bird of destruction," inspiring awe and dread, the expedition members would have long since indulged in drinking it without hesitation.

"No wonder they all want to drink it," Gao Huan said. "Drinking Golden Crow blood must be as delicious as eating roasted meat. And there's even the possibility of immortality, it's truly maddening."

Gao Huan couldn't help but swallow, then added, "If this were on Earth, a single drop of Golden Crow blood would make all the billionaires throw fortunes at it, and we have an entire pool here. You should quickly use your charm on Dr. Cai! Isn't there a saying in our university: 'Junior, if you want your senior's love, be rich or be handsome'?"

"Full of rhymes, are you planning to... pursue a doctorate?" Li Weiyi chuckled.

Perhaps because he had just developed his extraordinary abilities, his body urgently needed high-grade material supplementation, and the appetite it generated was even stronger than Gao Huan's.

In fact, a hot current of air from the sole of his right foot uncontrollably surged forth, flowing through his thirteen trace meridians, as if urging him to quickly drink the Golden Crow blood.

"The greater the temptation, the greater the danger."

Li Weiyi suppressed the hot current within him and quickly moved away from the blood pool.

On the other side, the Black Dragon had been severed into two halves by a sharp weapon; its corpse was extremely massive, much taller than Li Weiyi's body.

Its scales, like thick iron plates the size of palm-leaf fans, emitted a chilling aura.

At the severed parts of the dragon's body, fresh blood had congealed into purplish-red ice crystals, which needed to be chiseled off with an axe and then heated to melt.

Near the Black Dragon's remains, many skeletal human figures in armor lay scattered.

Six members of Laboratory 705 were gathered around one particularly unusual skeletal human, studying it, sketching structural diagrams, and recording the inscriptions and patterns on its armor.

This skeletal human was unique because its bones emitted a faint glow like a luminous stone, had metallized, felt very smooth to the touch, and when tapped, sounded like hitting a piece of iron.

Hearing footsteps, all six members of Laboratory 705 turned simultaneously to look at Li Weiyi and Gao Huan.

Gao Huan, being naturally outgoing, chuckled as he asked, "Director Yang, have you found anything?"

Among the six, the burly man with the shotgun, a crew cut, and nearly two meters tall, tightened his grip and looked quite wary. He only relaxed slightly when he saw they were just two injured individuals out for a walk.

Clearly, all parties sensed that something was amiss with the atmosphere on the bronze ship; they no longer trusted each other as before.

Director Yang was relatively amiable and chuckled, "Those who died on this bronze ship are clearly not ordinary beings; science struggles to explain them. The skeletal remains on the ground, wearing armor, weigh at least a thousand catties, and even with all six of us together, we couldn't move them."

"The weapons are also very heavy. The lightest spear required two people just to barely lift it. Its density is immense, and we don't know what material it's made of."

Li Weiyi really wanted to try picking up the yard-long ancient spear on the ground, but after touching it with his fingers, he gave up the idea and asked, "How did they all die? It's too strange. Who killed them?"

"Could there be some unknown danger on this bronze ship?" Gao Huan asked.

Director Yang said, "We have observed this bronze ship with microscopes for many years, and our conclusion is that the Golden Crow, the Black Dragon, and these armored humans were all intruders, most likely seeking treasure, exploring, or trying to claim it. There must be some dangerous force on board that we cannot comprehend!"

Gao Huan asked curiously, "Aren't we intruders too? Why haven't we been killed?"

All six members of Laboratory 705 became somber.

Not being killed now didn't mean they wouldn't be killed later.

Li Weiyi speculated, "Perhaps we are too weak, or we haven't violated any taboos, which is why the danger hasn't befallen us."

Director Yang clearly hoped this was the case. Suddenly, remembering something, he pointed ahead: "Do you see that nine-story superstructure? If you pass through the narrow passage between the superstructure and the bulwark railing, you'll reach the stern. There's an ancient garden area there, with pavilions, palaces, tall towers, and covered walkways... It should be where the ship's owner resided."

Gao Huan asked, "Director, do you believe they were killed by the ship's owner?"

"I can only say, it's a highly probable guess," Director Yang replied.

Li Weiyi looked towards the superstructure. It was truly magnificent, each of its nine stories three to four *zhang* high, glowing deep red under the radiance emanating from the Golden Crow's remains.

Strangely, along the railings outside each level of the superstructure, numerous humanoid stone figures were placed.

Each cabin door was sealed shut, concealing unknown secrets within.

Stele forest, grave mounds, ghostly banners, humanoid figures...

How could this be a normal ship?

Gao Huan said, "They've been dead for at least a thousand years, perhaps even longer. Even if the owner of this bronze ship did kill them, that owner must surely be long gone."

Director Yang chuckled, "Exactly. If an entity capable of slaying a Golden Crow and a Black Dragon were still alive, how could it allow the bronze ship to be stranded on the Buddha's sarira for a thousand years?"

"But Director," a middle-aged woman wearing glasses from Laboratory 705 reminded him, "the bronze ship has set sail again!"

After bidding farewell to the members of Laboratory 705, Li Weiyi walked towards the nine-story superstructure.

He did not approach closely, instead gazing from several meters away at the narrow passage leading to the stern.

The passage was filled with ethereal mist and lined with stone figures of various expressions and postures. Anyone timid would have long been terrified and fled.

The passage was very dim, and the stern was out of sight.

"The immortal glow I saw must have come from that ancient garden Director Yang mentioned. What kind of place is it, really?" Li Weiyi's curiosity was piqued, but instinctively, he also felt something was amiss.

Gao Huan caught up, excitedly saying, "The owner of this bronze ship must have been extraordinary. Their dwelling place might contain immortal elixirs or divine medicines. Li Zi, should we secretly go and explore?"

Li Weiyi noticed something, took two steps forward, and then crouched down.

There was a pool of dry, black blood on the ground.

He reached out a finger, smeared it on the bloodstain, and brought it to his nose to sniff carefully.

Li Weiyi suddenly looked up, gazing at the deep, dark passage ahead, his expression becoming extremely wary and grave. He asked, "After we fell onto this bronze ship, did you see that bear-like creature?"

"You mean the Ghost Bear King? Why are you suddenly asking about it?" Gao Huan asked.

Li Weiyi said, "The entire expedition team, including the Dragon Extremity, all fell onto this bronze ship. The bear-like creature... the Ghost Bear King you mentioned, how could it be an exception?"

"That's true, it is a bit strange... but if it fell onto the ship, and it's been five days, why hasn't it come out to forage?" Gao Huan pondered.

"It might be on the ship right now."

Li Weiyi pointed at the dry black bloodstain on the ground: "This is its blood! It must be severely injured, which is why it's hiding temporarily."

"How do you know this is its bloodstain?"

Gao Huan was curious, confused, and a little panicked.

Li Weiyi didn't know how to explain, because only after developing his extraordinary abilities did his sense of smell greatly increase, allowing him to distinguish the scent of the Ghost Bear King's blood.

From a distance, a familiar voice called out, "Are you two looking for trouble? What are you doing here?"

"Dr. Qi, we're just out for a walk... hehe."

Gao Huan quickly offered a forced smile.

"Is this a place for a walk?" Qi Shanshan sharply retorted with a cold tone. "One of you has a broken right arm, the other a damaged left shoulder, you're both half-crippled! Get back to the medical tent, now!"

Li Weiyi had already heard Qi Shanshan's footsteps, so he wasn't surprised at all. He stood up and joined in the forced smiles, saying, "We heard Director Yang say there's an ancient garden at the stern, and we were discussing whether there might be immortal elixirs or divine medicines there. Who knows, maybe one pill could heal all our injuries!"

Qi Shanshan was a woman extremely concerned with her own beauty. Even in these circumstances, she wore delicate makeup, her skin was fair and clear, with rosy cheeks and red lips. Her white doctor's coat was spotless, and she even wore high heels and flesh-toned stockings.

She was over 1.7 meters tall, with a slender waist and excellent curves. The third and fourth buttons of her light blue inner shirt were strained. In short, she was very feminine.

Thus, although her reprimand was also cold, her voice was more alluring and magnetic than Cai Yutong's, lacking that aggressive, pressing quality.

Qi Shanshan frowned, "Didn't he tell you that place is very dangerous? Four expedition members have gone to explore it, but once they entered the superstructure passage, they never came back."

Li Weiyi and Gao Huan exchanged a stunned glance.

Director Yang looked so benevolent, kind, and friendly; who would have thought he was such a devious old fox?

If Li Weiyi hadn't discovered the Ghost Bear King's bloodstain on the ground, and if Qi Shanshan hadn't coincidentally come looking for them, who knows, the two of them might have followed in the footsteps of the four expedition members.

Qi Shanshan's full chest rose and fell sharply, and she pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation. "You two are truly naive kids who've never left school! Li Weiyi, don't you know everyone suspects the Buddha's sarira is on you? Director Yang values that sarira more than his own life; he definitely wanted to use this opportunity to test you."

Gao Huan quickly put distance between himself and Li Weiyi, as if avoiding a plague god. "Li Zi, I almost got dragged into something because of you and died an unclear death."

Qi Shanshan glared at him, "You deserve to die! Li Weiyi is only a freshman, with no social experience, so being tricked is understandable. But you're a third-year graduate student, and you have no sense of caution at all? If there were truly something good, would others kindly tell you about it?"

Gao Huan wasn't angry at all; in fact, being scolded by Qi Shanshan seemed to make him happy. Suddenly, he smiled as if presenting a treasure, "Dr. Qi, we have a big discovery! This dried bloodstain is suspected to be from the Ghost Bear King."

Qi Shanshan rolled her eyes. "That bloodstain was discovered the day before yesterday and has already been analyzed. It was left by that bear-like creature. The four expedition members who went to explore the nine-story superstructure passage were likely eaten by it. Hurry and leave here! No one knows when that bear-like creature will recover from its injuries. Once it comes out, with our limited remaining ammunition... sigh, we'll just have to leave everything to fate!"

Li Weiyi was also very worried.

The Ghost Bear King was very likely also an extraordinary creature, which is why it possessed such terrifying speed and physique; its self-healing ability should not be slower than his.

It had three more days to heal than Li Weiyi, so even if its injuries were more severe, it was probably almost fully recovered by now.

Li Weiyi and Gao Huan quickly followed Qi Shanshan back, wanting only to get away from the nine-story superstructure as quickly as possible.

Qi Shanshan's legs were long and slender, and her footsteps clicked rhythmically.

Li Weiyi asked, "Since it's confirmed to be that creature, why don't we gather all the firearms, ammunition, and weapons and eliminate it while it's still injured?"

"How powerful is that bear-like creature? Even when it was in the open, with ample ammunition, we couldn't deal with it. Now that it's hidden in the dark, it's even harder to handle. That's one reason!"

Qi Shanshan's eyes were sharp as she added, "Secondly, everyone knows confronting it means a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. How many people would dare to go?"

"Thirdly, there are only three guns on the ship, and ammunition is limited. Everyone regards these as weapons to maintain their status and power. Without weapons, who would respect them?"

"If we're going to die, we'll die together."

"But losing status and power, that's far more unbearable than death."

"In short, when people are not united and each has their own ulterior motives, nothing can be accomplished."