Chapter 72 of 100

Chapter 72

16 min read3,999 words

With a loud cry, Gui Qu turned and ran back. But just as he took a step, several strange insects had already climbed up his trouser leg. Gui Qu clearly felt these little creatures crawling onto his body. His body shuddered, and the foot he had stepped out with hit the threshold. As Gui Laoer’s body tilted to one side, losing balance and about to fall to the ground, a hand grabbed the collar of his clothes and pulled him out. It was Wu Mian who had pulled Gui Qu out. Just as Gui Laoer was slightly calmed, the few strange insects that had climbed up his trouser leg had already reached his face. Gui Qu opened his mouth in terror, just about to shake the insects off, when one of the insects’ heads had already slipped into his mouth. Just as the entire insect was about to enter his mouth, the hand that had pulled him out reached over again. With just two fingers, it easily plucked the insect out of Gui Laoer’s mouth.

Then, an electric arc flashed across Gui Laoer’s face. Gui Qu felt a tingling sensation, and the few insects that had climbed onto his face immediately fell off, stiff and dead on the ground.

Wu Mian held the insect with two fingers, and no matter how the insect struggled, it couldn’t escape. Wu Mian frowned and glanced at the insect, then turned his gaze to Gui BuGui, who had approached. After a pause, he said, "Is this a San Shi Chong?"

Gui BuGui squinted and examined the insect carefully. The old man’s face immediately changed, and he instinctively took a step back, increasing the distance between himself and Wu Mian. He said, "Say what you have to say, but first, crush it. If this thing escapes, it’s no small matter. Don’t look at me like that; if you don’t crush it, I won’t say anything!"

Seeing the rare look of fear on Gui BuGui’s face, Wu Mian refocused his gaze on the insect in his hand. After one last look, Wu Mian opened his mouth and gently blew on the insect. At that moment, a flash of fire appeared on the insect’s body, and a red flame instantly enveloped it. In the blink of an eye, the insect was burned to ashes, which scattered to the ground.

Seeing the insect turn to ashes, Gui BuGui’s expression eased a bit. Before answering Wu Mian, he turned to look at the ginseng doll squatting on the ground and laughing, and said resentfully, "You said you went in once and came out unscathed? When did ginseng become a Great Immortal?"

Ren San tilted his head and looked at him, giggling, "Old不死的, why can your pus-filled apprentice come out unscathed, but we ginseng have to be bitten with holes?"

After hearing this, Gui BuGui was stunned for a moment, as if he suddenly thought of something. Then, the old man’s tense face suddenly broke into a smile, and he said to little Ren San, "My pus-filled apprentice was saved by someone. So, little doll, who saved you?"

After these words, Ren San was stunned. He blinked his eyes and thought for a long time, but couldn’t think of how to answer. Finally, his childlike nature took over, and he shouted at Gui BuGui, "What’s it to you? I go in when I want to and come out when I want to. What law says you humans can start managing us ginseng?"

Gui BuGui smiled at little Ren San, as if he had picked up on something from his words. Just as the old man was about to say something, Wu Mian suddenly looked at him and said, "How long do you plan to leave me hanging?"

Gui BuGui then let Ren San go, smiled at Wu Mian, and pointed to the insect corpses at his feet, saying, "This insect is called a Jie Shi Chong. It looks like a San Shi Chong, but it’s only a close relative. It’s the offspring of the Zhong Shi Chong Peng Zan and the Blood Sand Snake Insect. Don’t underestimate this Jie Shi Chong just because it’s a close relative of the San Shi Chong. In terms of destructive power, the Jie Shi Chong far surpasses the San Shi Chong. If you hadn’t pulled Gui Qu back in time, just one Jie Shi Chong entering Gui Laoer’s mouth would have been fatal. No one could have saved him from being torn apart. Even if a Great Artisan were present, they would have had to cut him open to remove the insects."

After Gui BuGui finished speaking, Gui Qu, who was behind him, thought back to the scene and was terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat. Wu Mian’s face, however, showed no emotion. Ren San thought the white-haired man was scared too, and giggled, saying, "Didn’t you say that if you reach the entrance, you can’t just stand there? So, are you going in, or are you just going to keep watching?"

Wu Mian glanced back at him, said nothing, and turned to walk into the exit. When the Gui brothers tried to stop him, Wu Mian’s body had already disappeared into the dark exit. As he entered, the same rustling sound was heard from inside.

Just as the Gui family trio’s hearts were in their throats, a hissing sound came from inside the exit, accompanied by a flash of blinding light. The Gui brothers then saw countless electric arcs appear on Wu Mian’s body, illuminating the area like daylight. With this light, they saw countless Jie Shi Chong surging towards Wu Mian like a tidal wave. But any Jie Shi Chong that touched the electric arcs instantly stiffened and fell to the ground. In just a few breaths, the Jie Shi Chong around Wu Mian were piled up. Still, countless insects continued to climb over the bodies of their fallen comrades, but with each flash of light, they too became corpses, trampled by the living.

The Gui brothers and the ginseng doll Ren San were all stunned. The Jie Shi Chong had been described as so powerful, but Wu Mian hadn’t even moved, and the insects were already stiff and dead on the ground. Thinking back to his own experience inside, Ren San shuddered. If not for someone driving the insects away at the last moment, he would have been digested multiple times.

After a bowl of tea’s time, there were no more moving Jie Shi Chong. The pile of insect corpses was taller than Wu Mian, forming a high, round wall that blocked him inside. When the last Jie Shi Chong died, the electric arcs on Wu Mian’s body instantly disappeared.

Inside, it was quiet and dark, and they didn’t know Wu Mian’s condition. Just as Gui Laoer was about to call out to test Wu Mian’s response, a flash of firelight appeared from the pile of insect corpses. Before Gui Laoer could react, the fire had already started, and the pile of insect corpses, which had formed a high wall, was quickly burned to ashes.

As the firelight soared, a figure walked out of the flames. His silver hair, in such a fierce fire, wasn’t even singed. Seeing Wu Mian emerge unscathed, the Gui brothers both breathed a sigh of relief, while the little doll Ren San, who was watching nearby, sighed heavily, seemingly resentful of Wu Mian’s unharmed return.

After Wu Mian came out, he looked at Ren San and said, "Is there anything else to say? The insects are all dead. The ginseng can continue forward, right?"

Ren San pouted and said, "I haven’t walked the path inside. I can’t guarantee there’s no danger."

At this moment, Gui BuGui walked over and said, "Then I’ll guarantee it. Even if something happens to us, you won’t be in danger. At least someone won’t just stand by and watch you get hurt, right?"

Ren San pretended not to understand and pinched his nose, saying, "The stench of the dead insects is already here. It’s so smelly!"

With no more threat from the Jie Shi Chong and no excuse to stay out, Ren San had no choice but to follow Wu Mian and the others, continuing forward. They passed through the long corridor inside and stopped at the second exit.

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