Jianghu Demolition Squad

Danger at The Tomb of the King (Part Eleven)

The python bared its fangs, and as it flicked its tongue out again, its body twisted forward, aiming to ensnare Yu’er.

Such a massive creature moving was like an earthquake.

Yu’er quickly rolled to the ground, dodging to the other side, closer to the python’s belly. The python was swift, but Yu’er was exceptionally agile. In this mismatch of size and speed, Yu’er’s smaller frame gave her the advantage.

With a swift motion, Yu’er’s dagger glinted as she struck upwards. This python was no ordinary beast; its scales were like armor. But her sword was no ordinary weapon either. In a single, powerful slash, she ripped open the python’s belly, releasing a heavy stench of blood that unsettled the other pythons. Injured, the python thrashed on the ground, hissing in pain.

In that moment, Yu’er was as sharp and fearless as the blade in her hand, her fear submerged beneath a tide of other emotions.

With a defiant shout, as if to embolden herself, she held her blade, leaped onto the python, and plunged it deep into its belly.

The python lifted its head slightly, let out a final roar, and then its strength faded, leaving it limp.

Hearing Yu’er’s cry from below, Hua Lian and the others exclaimed, “What’s happening to Yu’er? Dazhu! What’s going on with Yu’er?”

The python next to Qi Tianzhu quickly slithered towards Yu’er, fast as lightning. Yu’er’s unpredictable movements made it impossible for the python to catch her. When it lunged at an angle, Yu’er flipped and leaped, landing perfectly on the python’s back.

As the python twisted its body, attempting to throw Yu’er off, she drove her blade into the python’s head. Using the momentum of the python’s movements, she slid down, slicing the python open from head to tail. Half of the python was drenched in blood, struggling for a few moments before collapsing to the ground, its tail twitching until it finally stilled.

Qi Tianzhu, deeply worried for Yu’er, along with everyone else, knew her fear of snakes. They feared turning around only to see a scene that would haunt them, but instead, they saw Yu’er, covered in python blood, having slain two pythons.

Hua Lian cried out, “Qi Tianzhu, what exactly happened?”

Distracted for a moment, Qi Tianzhu’s grip loosened, and the chain was yanked down by the python below. Qi Tianzhu stumbled forward but managed to steady himself on a protruding rock at the edge of the cliff, barely managing to maintain his balance and not fall.

This caused the chain to shake violently, leaving those below feeling a sudden drop, thinking they were about to fall, but fortunately, it was a false alarm.

Qi Tianzhu swallowed hard and shouted, “The girl has killed those two pythons!” His voice was filled with excitement and exhilaration.

Hua Lian asked, “Yu’er?”

Yan Li, holding onto his feet, pleaded with a tone of exasperation, “Please, try to stay still!”

As two more giant pythons made their way up from the bottom of the cliff, slithering past Yan Li and the group, they dragged along a nauseating stench. The scent of blood wafting from the shore, coupled with Qi Tianzhu’s words, left no room for doubt. Although they didn’t know why Yu’er suddenly weren’t afraid of these giant pythons, hearing that she not only survived but also killed two of them, their blood boiled with excitement.

Hua Lian couldn’t help but shout in encouragement, “Little Yu’er, take them down!”

The three giant pythons loomed menacingly, with one particularly massive beast sporting bulges on its sides, identified by Hua Lian as nearing its transformation into a mythical dragon.

Yu’er found herself struggling to act, not out of fear but sheer exhaustion. Her continuous battle from the underground river to this point had drained her completely. Despite her valiant efforts in killing two of the pythons, her hands were slick with blood, her strength waning.

Panting heavily, Yu’er faced three giant pythons, her heart pounding as she quickly thought about what to do.

Meanwhile, Qing Jiu found herself ensnared by two strange monkeys, all the while contemplating how to defeat them while keeping an eye on Yu’er. Seeing Yu’er not just endure the attack of two pythons but also manage to kill them left Qing Jiu in amazement. The way Yu’er surpassed expectations and achieved what seemed impossible was truly extraordinary, a feat that ordinary individuals could hardly dream of accomplishing.

Observing Yu’er’s dwindling strength, Qing Jiu realized the grim reality: even if Yu’er managed to unleash her untapped potential, she could at best eliminate one more python.

Qing Jiu’s mind tensed, as she was surrounded by the strange monkeys, one in front and one behind. Calling them strange monkeys was truly an understatement.

These monkeys not only had the uncanny ability to replicate any move flawlessly but could also adapt to new techniques instantaneously, managing to strike before one could react. Fighting against them was like fighting against her own reflection. Despite their lack of internal energy, their brute strength was undeniable. Qing Jiu, already battling injuries, found them challenging to overcome.

Confronted with a dire situation, Qing Jiu decided to employ a desperate strategy.

Qing Jiu unleashed three consecutive strikes, precisely mirroring the monkey’s moves. As she retreated, they did too.

With a swift motion of her long sword, she infused it with internal energy and thrust it toward the monkey’s chest, just as the monkey hurled Yan Li’s sword at her.

The depth of Qing Jiu’s internal energy was extraordinary, her sword propelled with such velocity it appeared as a bolt of lightning. The monkey, caught off guard, was pierced through by the blunt, edgeless blade in an instant.

The sword thrown by the monkey was also accurate, but the force infused in the two swords differed. To ensure the monkey couldn’t mimic her evasive action, she waited until Yan Li’s sword was mere moments from piercing her, just grazing her clothes, before swiftly pivoting, seizing the sword’s hilt and thrusting it back towards the chest of the monkey behind her.

The monkey launched its attack with a stabbing motion, using an iron rod with a rounded end so even if it stabbed, it wouldn’t cause serious injury. Qing Jiu quickly ducked, narrowly getting grazed by the rod on her shoulder, while the monkey also lowered its body, just missing Qing Jiu’s neck.

Qing Jiu quickly dealt with the two strange monkeys without pausing for breath, immediately leaping towards Yu’er.

Three massive pythons were entwined together, with Yu’er grappling the largest. The python had coiled itself around her, tightening its grip, on the brink of strangling her to death. In that moment, the python opened its gaping maw, aiming to bite down on Yu’er.

But Yu’er was no ordinary prey. As the python attempted to bite, she blocked with her elbow, still gripping Si Ming in her hand. The blade pierced the python’s jaw, locking them in a desperate struggle. It shrieked and thrashed, threatening to tear Yu’er apart.

Qing Jiu wielded Yan Li’s sword and moved with the swiftness of lightning, her form a blur of white. She glided over the python’s massive body, her every movement agile and precise. Blood marked her path, splattering with each deliberate pause. And with each gleam of the blade’s cold light, the heads of three pythons fell, severed cleanly from their bodies.”

With the sword in her hand, Qing Jiu wielded it as though it were a divine weapon.

Qing Jiu lifted the half-fainted Yu’er from the snake corpses, holding her close and gently patting her face, calling out, “Yu’er!”

Yu’er was conscious, just weak and limp. She let out a slow breath and called back, “Qing Jiu.”

Seeing Qing Jiu’s relieved sigh and the mixed expression on her face, Yu’er felt something unfamiliar. It seemed like the first time she had seen such a light in her eyes, the soft glow in her black jade eyes, so warm.

Qing Jiu leaned in to embrace her fully.

Yu’er instantly snapped fully awake, a tingling sensation spreading from her heart to her limbs. Her fingers and toes buzzed with a hot, tingling sensation, as though her heart housed galloping horses, compelling her to jump up and dance with joy at that moment.

Lost in her wild thoughts, Yu’er’s body tensed unconsciously. Qing Jiu let her go, leaving Yu’er with a profound sense of loss.

The largest python that Qing Jiu had killed was the leader of this nest. With the leader dead, the remaining three pythons from below surged upwards.

Qi Tianzhu felt the tension below suddenly ease. With a loud shout, he pulled on the chain with great force. As a result, the chain, to which four people were attached, was yanked upwards, causing Yan Li and the others to soar into the air together.

Fortunately, Yan Li and Mo Wen still possessed their internal energy. Yan Li pulled Hua Lian, and Mo Wen held Tang Linzhi, ensuring all four safely landed on the cliff.

As the last three pythons leaped onto the cliff, they swung their massive bodies, screeching nonstop. Without distinguishing their targets, they all attacked Qing Jiu and Yu’er simultaneously.

Qi Tianzhu leaped over, clasped his hands together, and delivered a bare-fisted blow directly to a python’s weak spot. With a roar, he pounded the python’s body with his bare hands until it was a mess on the ground.

Qing Jiu rose with elegance, her wrist twisting in a swift motion that unleashed a thin streak of chilling light. In a single, seamless action, two massive python heads fell to the ground in one smooth motion.

The beheaded snake heads continued to twitch on the ground until Qi Tianzhu leaped forward, sending them flying with a powerful kick.

Hua Lian and Tang Linzhi collapsed on the ground, their strength drained. Hua Lian exhaled deeply, saying, “That was close. Our hard-earned reputations nearly ended in the mouths of those snakes.”

In Qing Jiu’s hand was the Shang Sheng dagger. After cleaning the blood from its blade, she passed it to Yu’er, who accepted it with clear hesitation. Yu’er then handed back the Si Ming to Qing Jiu, visibly struggling with the separation. The weapon, having defeated Haokang and two giant pythons, had protected her throughout their journey, almost as if it were Qing Jiu herself by her side.

Without sheathing Si Ming, Qing Jiu approached the snake corpses, inquiring, “What happened to you all to end up in such a sorry state? Where are Yu Hei and Yu Bai?”

Yan Li and the others recounted everything that happened after they separated in the water. They had found a path on the other side of the bank, led by Yu Hei and Yu Bai. Earlier, they discovered the entrance to the tomb, opened the tomb chamber, and pried open the coffin. Hua Lian and Tang Lin Zhi, caught up in their bickering, were unexpectedly struck by the tomb’s miasma. Normally, this wouldn’t be a significant issue, as martial artists can expel the poison from their bodies. However, they were left temporarily weakened and vulnerable, especially since Mo Wen was still unconscious, leaving them with no choice but to endure.

“We finally obtained the Qing Huang Wine Cup, but who would have thought that the old man in the coffin would turn out to be a cunning corpse, still capable of laying traps? Tiger Lady and I accidentally inhaled the poisoned miasma, which left us weakened and greatly diminished our abilities. And just our luck, we encountered…” Hua Lian recounted.

Qing Jiu interjected, “People from Jile City?”

Hua Lian was taken aback, asking, “How did you know?”

Qing Jiu produced a token and tossed it to Yan Li, who caught it and remained silent. Qing Jiu pressed on with her questioning, “Then how did you manage to escape to this place?”

Lying on the ground, Hua Lian shook his head and sighed, “You can’t imagine. One of them wielded the divine spear ‘Chuanyun,’ known for its ability to ‘pierce clouds and split rocks, unparalleled under the heavens.’ With Chuanyun in his hands, could he be an ordinary person?”

At this point, Tang Linzhi interjected, “That person was Si Yu.” All eyes turned to her as she explained, “I’ve seen information about him in the sect. He’s unmistakably Si Yu, the top general under the Lord of Jile City.”

Hua Lian continued, “Who cares who he is, he’s truly detestable. He led a group of people who, upon seeing the divine swindler, became suddenly invigorated, as though the divine swindler owed them ten thousand taels of gold and hadn’t paid it back. They were determined to capture us at all costs. We had no choice; if Tiger Lady and I were well, we might have been able to fight back. But, weakened as we were, our combat effectiveness was greatly reduced, forcing us to retreat here for shelter. Unfortunately, this cave provided no real shelter, forcing us to climb the rock walls to hide. Although Yu Hei and Yu Bai were unaware of our feud with Jile City…” Hua Lian paused, turning towards Yan Li with a stern expression, “Yan Li, be honest, do you owe them money, or have you once again been making baseless prophecies and spouting nonsense in their presence?”

Qing Jiu, while meticulously extracting something from a snake’s belly with Si Ming, interrupted, “Let’s focus on the important matter.”

Yan Li chimed in, detailing their strategy, “To ensure the safe delivery of the Qing Huang Wine Cup, Yu Hei and Yu Bai hid behind a rock to serve as a decoy, drawing that group away from us.”

As Qing Jiu laid open the snake’s insides, she retrieved something enveloped in a layer of black blood, the size of a pigeon’s egg, and dark green in color.

Hua Lian cast a sidelong glance, his face crinkling in distaste, “What are you doing?”

Mo Wen also discovered the secret and approached Qing Jiu. She accepted the snake gallbladder, then turned to Hua Lian, “What you said earlier was correct. These giant pythons are huge, at least a hundred years old. This is a valuable item, containing their life’s essence.”

Mo Wen also said, “This is a potent medicine, ideal for boosting Qi and blood circulation, especially valuable for practitioners of internal martial arts. Consuming it will make future training twice as effective with half the effort. This kind of treasure is hard to come by.”

Together, Mo Wen and Qing Jiu meticulously harvested the gallbladders from all eight giant pythons. “Exactly eight,” Mo Wen noted.

Mo Wen distributed one gallbladder to each person, keeping the last one for herself, saying, “I’ll save this one for medicine making.” She was delighted to have such a medicine, which, to her, was far more useful than any Qing Huang Wine Cup.

After securing hers, Mo Wen swallowed a gallbladder whole. Since she never showed much expression, no one could tell how it tasted, but one could imagine it wasn’t anything delicious.

“Swallowing it raw?” Hua Lian’s face twisted in revulsion, he then added, “It’s not poisonous, right?”

Yu’er held her gallbladder, which resembled a piece of dark jade. Despite her bravery in life-threatening situations, the thought of consuming a snake gallbladder was a different matter altogether. Just the thought of swallowing it and having it become a part of her body for the rest of her life made her shudder.

Hua Lian commented, “This is too much for Yu’er. At least give her a side dish or something.”

Yu’er, trying to reassure them, said, “I… I’ll be fine.”

Just as Yu’er was about to close her eyes and muster the courage to swallow, Qing Jiu swiftly took the snake gallbladder from her hand, saying, “Let me feed you.”

Yu’er stared at her, taken aback. “Close your eyes,” Qing Jiu instructed.

Seeing Yu’er still in a daze and unresponsive, Qing Jiu teased with a smile, “Don’t you trust me?”

Gradually, Yu’er closed her eyes. All she could see was pitch blackness. The cave felt cold and shadowy, but she could faintly sense the warmth of Qing Jiu standing before her, the only sensation in the enveloping darkness.

“Open your mouth,” Qing Jiu’s gentle voice instructed.

Without any hesitation, Yu’er complied, feeling as if even if Qing Jiu was offering poison, she would willingly accept it.

Yu’er felt Qing Jiu’s hand gently supporting her chin, the other hand bringing the snake gallbladder to her lips.

Yu’er took a deep breath, bracing herself to swallow it in one gulp, but her teeth accidentally punctured the gallbladder in her mouth. Its skin was surprisingly tender and soft. Yu’er tensed up, anticipating the bitter taste to flood her mouth, and dared not breathe.

However, the taste that hit her tongue wasn’t at all bitter or pungent. The fishiness was mild, accompanied by a faint milky fragrance and a rich sweetness.

Yu’er opened her eyes wide in surprise, staring at Qing Jiu.

Qing Jiu, with a smile, was tucking a pouch back into her sleeve, noticing Yu’er’s curiosity and her attempt to spit out what was in her mouth. Qing Jiu lightly scolded, “Don’t spit it out; what would that look like?”

Blushing, Yu’er’s motion to catch what was in her mouth froze, her cheeks flushing a light red, “Why is it sweet?”

As Qing Jiu rinsed the blood off another snake gallbladder with clean water, she questioned, “Have you ever tasted a snake gallbladder to know it’s supposed to be bitter?”

Yu’er, momentarily confused, replied, “There was an herbal shop in town that sold snake gallbladders, and they always said they were bitter.”

Qing Jiu chuckled, “Were they selling gallbladders from a thousand-year-old snake? Or has someone who has eaten such a snake gallbladder told you how it tastes?”

Yu’er shook her head. Qing Jiu concluded, “Exactly. You’ve never tried it, and neither has anyone else. How could you know it’s bitter?”

Yu’er, confused by the logic but recognizing the sense in Qing Jiu’s words, still couldn’t bring herself to believe and looked towards Hua Lian and Tang Linzhi for confirmation.

Hua Lian had already swallowed his gallbladder, his face flushed red, teeth clenched, his facial muscles tightened, yet he managed a forced smile, “Sweet, it’s sweet.” Then, looking back at Qing Jiu, she saw her swallow the gallbladder effortlessly, without changing her expression.

Yu’er was speechless.