Chapter 78

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When the dust settled, a deep crater seemed to still echo with the rumbling aftermath. Of the four large stones that once stood, only one remained, and even this last stone was shattered on one side. On the nearby crater wall, five figures hung. Apart from Wang Bi, Huang Qi, and Liu Er, there were also Jiang Yuan and Wu Jiu. The five were still immersed in the unexpected survival, each one pressed against the wall, motionless, yet still trembling with lingering fear, looking around anxiously.

The sequence of events leading up to this was not hard to guess.

The large stone where Lu Zhi stood suddenly loosened and rolled down, causing this unforeseen disaster. He himself, along with Dong Sheng and Wen Shan, had fallen into the abyss, their fates unknown. Jiang Yuan, sitting against the wall, narrowly escaped. Huang Qi and Liu Er managed to leave the area in time, escaping unscathed. Wang Bi was also fortunate, emerging unharmed. Perhaps only Wu Jiu could be said to have barely survived.

Wu Jiu clung to the stone wall with one hand and the hilt of a short sword with the other, like a leaf pressed against the wall, looking quite embarrassed. However, he paid no attention to this, only silently observing the other four, who were equally disheveled.

What a close call! If he hadn't looked up at that moment, he would have been crushed and fallen into the abyss. That large stone was heading straight for him.

Was all of this the doing of Lu Zhi? If so, why did he not escape the disaster himself...

At this moment, Wang Bi sighed, "Alas, what a pity for my junior brother Lu Zhi. He only wanted to ensure everyone's safety, but the disaster was unpredictable, and life is uncertain! And the two senior brothers from Huanglong Valley also had bad luck, what can be done!"

He and his junior brother must have been close, otherwise they wouldn't have been so in sync. Such sorrow is only natural!

"Wang Senior Brother, please take care! Wen Shan, be cautious! Liu Er, are you alright..."

Huang Qi comforted her while not forgetting to ask about his junior sister.

Liu Er, gripping the hilt of her short sword, trembled and weakly replied, "I'm fine, Senior Brother He..." Her eyes glanced at Wu Jiu, filled with concern.

Huang Qi seemed jealous and spat, "The one who should have been crushed to death was him, yet he had good luck..."

Wu Jiu, still shaken, in a bad mood, retorted, "Huang Qi, my luck is just better, at least a bit better than yours. Living a hundred years is no problem, and you can't help but be envious!"

As he spoke, he inwardly grumbled. How much委屈 (grievance) I've endured for that He Tiancheng, how unjust!

Huang Qi suddenly laughed, "Ha ha! You only aspire to live a hundred years, truly short-sighted. Do you know that I have already surpassed the age of a hundred years..."

Wu Jiu wanted to retort but was suddenly at a loss for words.

It's fine to consider oneself an ordinary person. But if an ordinary person argues with a cultivator, they will lose nine times out of ten. It could even lead to ridicule, as in this case. The lifespan of a cultivator is different from that of an ordinary person, how could I forget this!

A hundred years is the age of a centenarian. That guy has lived so long and still can't forget his lustful nature, hmpf...

Wang Bi seemed to have calmed down from his panic and said, "Everyone, we must continue on our journey. We can rest when we find a place to stop." He pulled out his flying sword from the stone wall, slid down, and with a kick, landed gracefully on the stone path a few dozen feet away.

Huang Qi and Liu Er followed suit, each leaving the wall. Jiang Yuan hesitated for a moment before using his flying sword to climb down, and soon landed on the stone path.

The four, now with a destination, did not rush but waited for a companion to catch up.

Among the five survivors, only Wu Jiu was the farthest behind. When the large stone fell, he managed to escape by moving in the opposite direction. Now, he was over twenty feet away from the descending path, making it difficult to reach. However, after a brief hesitation, he took out another flying sword and alternately inserted his hands into the wall, moving like a gecko.

A gecko, also known as a four-legged snake, twelve-hour insect, or wall lizard. It is called a wall lizard because of the legend of the red-dotted woman, the origin of the term "守宫砂" (shougongsha), hence the name.

At this moment, the wall suddenly trembled slightly, followed by a few faint muffled sounds from the bottom of the pit, startling everyone. It was the sound of a stone falling, and the depth of the Ninefold Abyss lived up to its name!

Wu Jiu was also startled, but his hands and feet did not stop. A moment later, he landed on the ground.

The four waiting turned around, with only Liu Er occasionally looking back with her bright eyes.

The stone path spiraled down around the deep pit, sometimes visible, sometimes not. The five walked cautiously, stopping frequently.

After four or five hours, even the intermittent stone path disappeared. The path they relied on to descend ended at a stone pit.

The stone pit was not large, about a person's height, four to five feet wide, and two dozen feet long, with signs of excavation, likely left by predecessors.

Wang Bi, perhaps tired, indicated, "Let's rest for a moment..." He sat down without further ado.

Huang Qi looked around suspiciously and then approached with Jiang Yuan, demanding, "Senior Brother Wang from Heilong Valley, we have been traveling for nearly a day, with heavy casualties, and now the path is cut off. Where is the Ninefold Abyss?"

Jiang Yuan summoned his flying sword, angrily saying, "Wang Bi, if you have ulterior motives, don't blame us for not showing fellow-disciple sentiment!"

They were afraid of being deceived and were looking for trouble with Wang Bi.

Liu Er stepped back a few steps, lazily sitting on the ground, leaning back, and softly said, "Senior Brother He, why are you so quiet?"

Her Senior Brother He sat on the stone path they came from, his feet dangling in the stone pit, breathing slightly and glancing around.

During these hours, they had become more familiar with the surroundings, and their journey was not slow. After a day, they should have reached a depth of seven or eight hundred feet, but the depth of the Ninefold Abyss was still unknown, and the fog was getting thicker, making it impossible to see clearly. Moreover, the path was cut off.

Looking up, the entrance they came from seemed to have disappeared. Only a faint light was visible above, like a distant world, plunging them into the depths of the Ninefold Abyss.

What was Wang Bi's intention in leading everyone here? It's no wonder Huang Qi and Jiang Yuan questioned him; anyone would be on edge!

Wu Jiu felt a soft body lean against his leg and quickly composed himself, looking down and saying, "Junior Sister, you should avoid suspicion to prevent someone from getting jealous!" He lifted his robe and shook it, appearing very reserved and aloof.

Liu Er smiled, her eyes twinkling, and whispered, "Senior Brother, don't be angry. I endure humiliation for your sake..."

Wu Jiu smirked, still maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor.

Even with a heart of stone, your tenderness can turn it into a pool of spring water. Fortunately, I'm not the real Senior Brother He, or I would be completely charmed by this woman!

At this moment, Wang Bi, displeased, said, "If I had ulterior motives, why would I harm my junior brother Lu Zhi? Now, I am alone, what benefit could I gain? Please, Senior Brothers, calm down. After resting, we can descend another hundred feet and reach the Ninefold Abyss..."

Huang Qi and Jiang Yuan looked at each other, at a loss, and had no choice but to rest.

After explaining, Wang Bi, not yet relieved, suddenly noticed someone looking at him with a playful expression. His eyes flashed, "Senior Brother He, do you have anything to say?"

Wu Jiu, leaning against the wall, lifted his mask, seemingly worried, "The opportunities in the Ninefold Abyss are still unclear. Whether we return the way we came or find another path is also unknown. Since Senior Brother Wang has been here before, could you provide more guidance?"

Huang Qi and Jiang Yuan, still sitting, opened their eyes and turned to look at Wang Bi.

Liu Er whispered in approval, "Senior Brother He is thoughtful..."

The stone pit was narrow, barely enough for the five to rest.

Wang Bi and Wu Jiu were at opposite ends, one higher, one lower, their eyes meeting clearly. He glanced at the abyss and pondered, "According to legend, the Ninefold Abyss is the source of the dragon vein of Heilong Valley or the focal point of a secret realm array. It is said: 'A thousand gold pearls and luminous stones must be in the depths of the Ninefold Abyss.' Therefore, there must be great treasures here. My junior brother and I discovered something thirty years ago, but the valley was about to close, and we failed. Now, with the help of our fellow disciples, we are about to achieve our goal..."

His words were calm and logical, very persuasive, making people feel excited. He then closed his eyes.

Huang Qi and Jiang Yuan nodded, continuing to rest. Even Liu Er took the opportunity to meditate and recover her strength. Only Wu Jiu, leaning against the wall, kept his eyes moving.

The pit was dark and cold...

After two hours, everyone had rested.

Wang Bi summoned his flying sword, lightly leaped, and used his hands and feet to climb down. Then came Huang Qi, Jiang Yuan, and Liu Er, and finally Wu Jiu, who used two swords to follow the wall to the bottom.

At this point, the wall had more cracks and protruding rocks. Using his hands and feet, and with the help of the flying sword, the climb became much easier.

As Wang Bi said, in less than half an hour, the mysterious Ninefold Abyss finally reached its end.

Wu Jiu landed softly with the others, shivering and using his spiritual power to protect himself.

Above, it was pitch black, with no light. The sky they came from was gone, as if they had entered the depths of the earth and a different world.

Fortunately, with their spiritual senses and vision, they could see the surroundings clearly.

The pit bottom was about thirty feet wide, spacious and flat, but covered in broken stones and cold. Between the jagged walls were several gaps of varying heights...

At this moment, a loud voice came from the darkness, "Where are the people—?"

Wu Jiu followed the sound, his eyes wide.

Huang Qi, Jiang Yuan, and Liu Er stood among a pile of broken stones, looking around in panic. The pile of stones was left from the fallen large stone. However, the bodies of Lu Zhi, Dong Sheng, and Wen Shan should have been here. In the debris and stone pit, there were only bloodstains, and no sign of the three.

Yes, where are the people...

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