Chapter 602: Chapter 338: Past Sins, Vindication, Five Sects Seek Alliance, Entering the Dragon Heart Cavern (Part 3)
The rough pancake exuded a sour sweat. Having been in the tomb for a long time, the coarse cake was soaked by sweat and became dry. After also being soaked in water, it barely maintained its shape, but the taste was no longer delightful. However, the disciples were extremely hungry and each snatched one to eat.
Soon they finished eating quickly and still felt it was delicious, repeatedly asking Xu Hu if there was more in stock. Xu Hu joked and scolded them, criticized the disciples for a while, finished the coarse cake in his hand, patted his body, and looked around for more.
Xu Hu was a straightforward man, not meticulous in finding people. He just looked around and shouted with his big mouth. In such a muddled way, he didn’t even know where he was going. Suddenly, a disciple trembled all over and begged, "Elder Xu... it’s not clean here, let’s... go!"
Xu Hu’s eyes widened, and he said, "Nonsense, where is it not clean? It looks pretty clean to me." The disciple said, "I... I seem to hear some strange noises."
Xu Hu curiously asked, "Oh?"
The disciple said, "I possess an ’Ear Pearl Aspect’ and am very sensitive to sounds. Although I can’t hear the sound clearly, I do sense that something is there." As he spoke, he turned his head, revealing an unusual ear, his earlobe having a fleshy pearl.
Another disciple said, "Perhaps it’s the two of them making noises?" Xu Hu felt uneasy and said, "That is really possible. Lead us by the sound, and we’ll have a look. If it really is a ghost, we’ll just turn around and run."
A few people followed the sound, winding left and right, going deeper and deeper, yet felt increasingly uneasy. The surrounding vegetation was dense, and the pavilions towered, majestic but long devoid of human presence, appearing gloomy and oppressive.
Xu Hu appeared rough and spoke boldly, but was actually of ordinary courage. The disciple was very fearful at first, but gradually his face became red, his fear diminished, and he walked faster and faster. Xu Hu cursed, "Damn it, could he be possessed? His courage is greater than mine." He hurriedly followed.
The disciple led them to the side of a room and said softly to Xu Hu and the others, "Don’t speak, don’t speak, I’ll check it out first." His tone hidden with excitement. He leaned on a paper window, moistened his fingers, and poked a hole in the window paper. Instantly he peered inside, making the move in one smooth motion, seeing a luxurious and exquisite scene with a purple bath pool, from which a fragrance wafted and white mist spread.
The expected scene was unseen; the bathing pool was an empty and silent void, with no trace of people. The disciple trembled all over, awakening as if from a dream, his excitement turning into a mix of surprise and suspicion. It turned out... this disciple was a lecher. Equipped with ’Ear Pearl Aspect,’ his earlobe bore a fleshy pearl, enabling him to sense mysterious sounds. Being in his youthful prime, unable to resist urges, whenever he heard sounds of others in a room, he would follow the sound to take a peek from afar.
Earlier he faintly heard a strange sound. Because the tomb was eerie, he conjectured it was ghostly movements, which frightened him to no end. Later he followed along continuously, hearing the sound hugely fluctuating, rising and falling, unendingly melodious. His heart was restless, having never heard such fluctuating sounds, thinking, "Such sounds, like song or melody, are beautiful and melodious, like reaching bliss, oh my, if I don’t take a look, it would truly be a great pity." Thus he walked faster, free of fear, consumed only by insatiable curiosity.
But upon arriving here, not hearing the mysterious sound or seeing a human shadow, he quivered uncontrollably, all his endless fantasies turning into bone-chilling cold. He only felt a bright coldness on his back, his legs gave way, and he fell to the ground. Xu Hu pulled him aside and also peeked through the hole. He said, "If I am correct, this is the place where the emperor bathed. The vapor is mysterious, definitely peculiar."
The disciple exclaimed, "Ah! This was originally a bathing place, then there’s no mistake! It must be a ghost without a doubt!" Xu Hu frowned and asked, "What did you hear? Strange and mysterious, quickly tell me. If you keep hesitating, I’ll slap you dead." The disciple quickly said, "It’s, it’s that kind of sound. Since this is the emperor’s bathing place, could it be that their ghosts come back here to indulge after death? It was that mysterious sound that I heard, leading me all the way here..."
Xu Hu suddenly felt the chill, a cold wind blew, and he dared not stay here longer, saying, "It sounds strange and mysterious... it stands to reason there are not the two here, the pool is empty, and the water obviously contains strong poison. Let’s leave quickly and explore elsewhere."
The group then ran away from there. After they left far away, bubbles appeared in the pool.
······
······
Two days later.
[You have diligently practiced the Third Layer of swordsmanship, gaining many insights, feeling exhilarated, mood surging, Skill Level +321]
[You paired it with a medicated bath, Skill Level +231]
[Setting Sun Bloodsword · Third Layer]
[Skill Level: 5831/8000 Minor Achievement]
The effect of the Mandarin Duck Violet Smoke Soup was completely absorbed, with a meditation mat beside Mengqing Pond. Li Xian sat cross-legged in quiet cultivation, feeling the medicinal power surging and greatly benefiting. However, the medicinal properties were complex, with many rare, good, and wonderful drugs all mixed in the pool, making it hard to specify.
In a day’s effort, the Setting Sun Bloodsword Third Layer accumulated [4000] Skill Level, with considerable benefits, deepening the comprehension of the mysteries of Yin and Yang, and further understanding various Martial Arts principles. Li Xian felt refreshed, saw the tranquil scenery outside, and suddenly thought, "If this place were not secluded from the world, sparsely populated, it would actually be quite suitable for long residence."
On the east side of Mengqing Pond was a silver mirror. Li Xian glanced over unintentionally, thinking, "This medicated bath seems to have made the skin more delicate and supple." After a moment of observation, he realized his clothes did not cover his body and he jumped into the bottom of the pool to retrieve them.
He quickly found Madam’s white boots, poured out the medicated soup, and tossed them to the side of the pond. Then there were stockings, a white skirt, an inner lining, personal clothes, and so on. Li Xian’s clothes were simple, and he soon gathered them all.
He then went to cut some broken branches and leaves and lit a fire. He roasted and dried the clothes. It turned out that Xu Hu and the others didn’t come up empty; they were just a hair away from breaking into the private affair of the two. Li Xian’s hair served wonderfully, letting him know someone was searching, allowing him to hide underwater early. He placed the exchanged clothes at the bottom of the pool, completely concealing his trail.
