Chapter Fifteen: Exploration

  Although it's a roller coaster, it took more than half an hour to climb to the top of the mountain. And these vines don't all go straight, sometimes they need to hand over tasks, and sometimes I have to walk two steps myself. Every time this happens, I get very dissatisfied - you guys are not even a dynamic car!

  Xiao Qian walked ahead, stopping and starting again on a mountain path. Suddenly, she waved her hand, and Old Wu and Jin Chengwu sensed that something was off without needing her to say anything. Old Wu removed the Qingteng sword from my waist: "You'll have to walk the rest of the way yourself, we're getting close to our destination."

  I stepped down from Qingteng and asked anxiously: "Have we arrived so soon?"

  Lao Wu said: "You're not afraid, are you?"

  "Cut the crap, just try it!"

  "Hey, don't be afraid, we're here."

  As we walked further ahead, the trees grew denser and this was originally the time when the afternoon sun should be strongest. However, I found that we were already completely shaded by the dense foliage, with not a single ray of light penetrating through to the deepest parts. I couldn't help but ask Old Wu nervously: "Will these trees really be able to help us if things get rough later on?"

  Old Wu looked puzzled and said, "It's strange, there are many plants here, but I feel less and less friendly, as if they can't connect with me."

  Just then, countless vines emerged from all sides, like numerous large hands grabbing towards us. These vines were completely different from the ones that carried me earlier, they were dark black in color and had chilling black thorns on them.

  "How dare you!"

  Just as the vines were about to touch my body, Old Wu let out a loud shout, and those vines seemed to hesitate slightly, probably because Old Wu still had some remaining prestige, hesitated for a moment and then quietly disappeared.

  Old Wu wiped the sweat from his forehead and said: "The opponent is also using vines as a weapon, probably has a similar background to mine."

  Xiao Qian took a step forward and said to the dark forest, "Senior, don't misunderstand, we didn't have any ill intentions. As fellow practitioners who haven't visited in a long time, today is specifically for visiting senior."

  After a moment of silence, a slightly hoarse voice came from the darkness: "Who's there?"

  Xiao Qian said: "This humble girl has always been cultivating in Xifeng and has never dared to disturb, Senior Haihan."

  That hoarse voice shouted: "So you're that little girl from Xifeng, who's behind you?"

  Xiao Qian said: "They are a few friends of mine."

  "That voice hummed: 'Able to dodge my black vine entanglement, it seems your cultivation is not shallow. Since you are a fellow Taoist, then come in.' Before he finished speaking, a black vine was like a guide leading the way in front, and Xiao Qian slightly bowed her head, leading us to proceed into the darkness."

  Jin Chengwu patted my waist and whispered, "Hold on tight, don't reveal the trap!" I shrank my head and followed behind him, following Hei Teng for a while, passing through several rows of exceptionally thick trees, suddenly coming to an open space, and suddenly opening up in front of me. Looking straight ahead, I couldn't help but take a fright.

  All that can be seen is a vast empty space in front, where a gigantic elm tree stands crookedly and stretches straight up to the sky, its canopy almost covering an area of half a mile. At the base of the tree, there are hundreds of thick vines as thick as a person's waist deeply rooted in the ground. What's terrifying is that among the vines, countless skulls and human bones are scattered about. In the dark depths, faint ghostly fires flicker, it's unclear whether they're just an illusion or something else. Faintly, one can still hear the sound of people wailing and screaming, as if coming from a desolate hell.

  Old Wu said in a low voice: "It's actually an old elm tree spirit! At least it has two thousand years of cultivation!"

  The crown of the ancient tree rustled, and that hoarse voice sounded even more real: "Who comes, report your name!"

  Lao Wu smiled and took a step forward, saying: "I am Wu Yongsheng, at your service."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao said bluntly, "Hmm, a 2,000-year-old locust tree, not bad, not bad." Although he said it was fine, but looking at his expression, it seemed that Wu Yongsheng was still not in his eyes.

  "Just call me Jin Chengwu."

  "Looking at you, I can see that you have a hint of intense heat around you, and you're wearing deerskin gloves. It's clear that the heat is not under your control. Your breath isn't pure, which suggests that your parents aren't of the same kind. However, one side is probably a three-legged golden crow, am I right?"

  Jin Chengwu's face changed greatly, and he muttered: "So fierce!"

  A hoarse voice suddenly became impatient and said, "What are you people doing here? As the saying goes, 'different paths don't make for good company', right and wrong can't coexist. Are you here to replace heaven and carry out its will?" When he spoke, his tone was slightly mocking, obviously Old Wu and Jin Chengwu didn't pose a threat to him.

  Lao Wu cupped his hands and said, "Recently, when we were cultivating at the foot of the mountain, we often suffered from zombie disturbances. I dare not ask if this has anything to do with Brother Yu?"

  The old demon of Heishan chuckled coldly, his voice hoarse as he said, "All the zombies within a radius of over ten miles are under my control and hunt for me. Although I don't know what you're talking about, since it's something the zombies did, then I suppose that means I did it too."

  Lao Wu awkwardly said: "That... can't...".

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao said decisively: 'You want me to stop sending out zombies? Then what will I eat?'"

  "Then you can't delay our cultivation either?"

  "Heishan Old Monster burst out laughing and said: 'I, Heishan Old Monster, do things solely based on my own preferences. I control your life and death, who can control mine?'"

  I said listlessly: "I still have several dozen instant noodles."

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao angrily said: 'Who is it?'"

  Lao Wu and Jin Chengwu turned around, naturally exposing me...

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao hoarsely shouted: 'Why don't you register your surname?'"

  "I gritted my teeth and said: 'My surname is Long, my name is... you don't need to know.'"

  "How dare you! No one has ever spoken to me like this before!"

  I paused for a moment and suddenly said: "Shut up, you're not even human!"

  Jin Chengwu suppressed a smile, secretly giving me a thumbs up, but he didn't know that my legs were almost cramping. I dared to say this because I figured it out - no matter what our goals are, it seems like nobody wants us to go back, and if we don't make a desperate effort, there's not even a glimmer of hope left.

  "Hei Shan Lao Yao coldly smiled and said: 'You dare to speak to me like this, why don't you dare to reveal your family background?'"

  Old Wu hastily said: "Elm brother's unique insight, won't have always failed to see through this person's identity?"

  Hei Shan Lao Yao listened to his words and fell silent for a moment, the tree crowns also tilted towards me by half, as if carefully observing me. Looking at me, I felt dizzy, why were those leaves shaking? Later, I discovered it wasn't my eyes playing tricks on me, but he was really shaking - Hei Shan Lao Yao looked at me for half a day and said with a shiver: "Jie Hou Jin Shen?"

  I learned from the great man and raised one arm to him in a plain and simple manner...

  The old monster of Heishan shrunk from the treetop to the trunk, and after a long while, he dryly said: "So there's still a predecessor arriving..." Then, with a sudden laugh, his voice turned soft and sticky, saying: "I'm afraid I've been too reckless." What was strange was that the hoarse voice had a hint of coquetry, and it didn't sound bad at all. Instead, it had a special flavor to it.

  Jin Cheng Wu suddenly said: "Could it be that you are still just a mother willow tree spirit?"

  I smiled calmly and with a majestic air, waving my hand: "Little Hei, you little devil, you're so mischievous, you only care about finding food without considering others' feelings, huh?"

  Lao Wu and Jin Chengwu both sweated a little, Xiao Hei...

  Xiao Qian pulled me quietly from behind: "Little Dragon brother, don't go too far."

  However, Hei Shan Lao Yao seemed to have accepted this name as well, and chuckled:

  "Seniors are indeed seniors, but the zombies nearby, although they were all sent by me to find food and eat, I really didn't know that seniors had been disturbed. How could I have dared to mess with you if I knew there was such a big beehive?!" It's also his zombie, just now he was so confident, now he's pushing the blame onto 625. The difference between "repeatedly defeated" and "defeated repeatedly" is quite interesting, but what he said makes sense too. From his performance, it seems that before this, he didn't notice my Golden Body after the Tribulation, otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten himself into such big trouble.

  Jin Chengwu smiled and said: "What good can zombies do? You don't want to send them out, even if they don't bother us, it's still harming others."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao chuckled and said, "Fellow Taoist, you don't know the whole story. Although I've fallen into evil ways, I haven't eaten human flesh for a long time. When I send them out, it's just to hunt some mountain beasts. However, in recent years, the beasts on this Kui Zi Mountain have also become scarce, so these fools had to cross the boundary and make trouble, causing you to take action. I'm truly sorry about that."

  "Look, you've also destroyed the ecological environment."

  Hei Shan Lao Yao said solemnly: "I will strictly follow the teachings of my seniors, and from now on, I will never dare to use these inferior evil techniques again."

  I nodded: "Hmm, your attitude is not bad, let's forget about it this time." I exchanged a glance with Old Wu and the others: "Let's go then." Since the other party has already admitted defeat, I also deeply understand the principle of knowing when to stop.

  "A few of you are leaving already?" The old demon from Hei Shan seemed incredulous.

  "I'm not in a good mood," I said, "If you don't leave, who will pay for the meal?" As I spoke, I took the lead and started walking down the mountain.

  "Uh... Senior Long, please wait."

  My heart skipped a beat, had he seen through me?

  Hei Shan Lao Yao adjusted his attire, and with a respectful tone said: "It's rare for me to meet a senior who has successfully passed the tribulation. I'd like to hear your teachings once more, would you be willing to enlighten me?"

  Jin Cheng furrowed his brow and said in a low voice, "I wonder if they suspect us?"

  "I scratched my head and said, 'What's up with that? Maybe next time?'"

  "Hehe, Elder is already a Mahayana Golden Immortal who has transcended the calamities, what worldly affairs still entangle you? Could it be that you dare not sit in this humble abode of mine?"

  Old Wu secretly warned himself: "This is a test of us, we mustn't show weakness!"

  The moment the old monster of Hei Shan finished speaking, a rustling sound was heard. I looked intently and saw that the vines surrounding the ancient elm tree slowly moved away, revealing a huge hollow in the trunk.

  "Heishan Old Monster said in a soft voice: 'Senior, please!'"

  ……

  Division line

  Thank you to Fang Lianhai for the reward, you are the first ally of Mix-and-Match. Also thank you to other brothers and sisters who rewarded me, seeing those names one after another makes me so happy!

  Again divided again cut apart

  How I love writing about Hei Shan Lao Yao, how I love turning Hei Shan Lao Yao into a mature woman——good fortune to all the mature woman fans! Mixed Doubles official super group: 9112617, also please let me know privately if you're opening a group, as long as it's related to Mixed Doubles, I'll be more than happy to join in, and we can make it an official group later.