"Really?" Ye Xingchen glanced at Liu Shanhe. Sure enough, the old man walked to the back of the line and distanced himself from him.
"Yes." Xie Ya nodded seriously: "He seems to be a little afraid of you now."
"Ha, maybe I scared him after I explained things to him." Ye Xingchen smiled slightly and said, "Master Liu is a believer in cause and effect. Maybe he felt that the power of cause and effect on me was too heavy and was afraid that he would get tainted by it."
"What kind of causal power?" Xie Ya became even more curious.
She knew Master Liu very well; after all, Qimen Jiushi possessed an extremely strong ability to discern people. There must be a reason why he was keeping his distance from Ye Xingchen.
"Stop asking and let's get going," Ye Xingchen said. "If we don't hurry, we won't reach Zhulongtan."
Liu Ya wanted to ask something more, but seeing Ye Xingchen quicken his pace, she helplessly stomped her foot and quickly followed.
The mountain path was difficult to traverse, and it took the group three or four hours to finally cross Wild Boar Ridge.
After passing Wild Boar Ridge, you can faintly hear the rushing water; this is the waterfall above Candle Dragon Pool.
Old Zhou stopped some distance from Zhulongtan.
People who grow up in the mountains have a deep fear of the mountain gods.
Moreover, people do frequently disappear from this place. In the past, during the annual sacrificial ceremony, the slaughtered cattle, sheep, pigs, and other offerings would turn into bones overnight if left here.
Moreover, wild boars and wolves often roam the mountains, but there are none of these creatures within several kilometers of Zhulongtan.
He knelt down at the entrance and then kowtowed three times and nine times in the direction of Zhulongtan, muttering incantations as if he were performing some kind of ritual.
Ye Xingchen didn't disturb him, because Old Zhou was a native of the mountains and had relied on everything in the mountains for a living since he was a child.
Therefore, he was very concerned about the rumors and legends about this place.
Reverence for spirits and deities is a common characteristic of all people living in the mountains. He brought people here because he was afraid of disturbing the mountain god, so he apologized in advance.
Old Zhou knelt there for more than ten minutes before standing up: "Mr. Ye, the Candle Dragon Pool is just ahead. People often go missing in this place, so everyone should be careful."
“I understand, Brother Zhou. Now that you’ve led the way, if you’re feeling any pressure, you can turn back now, or wait for us here. We’ll come back after we’ve sorted things out,” Ye Xingchen said.
“No, that won’t do. Boss Wu has repeatedly instructed me that I not only have to bring you here, but I also have to help you find what you’re looking for. Otherwise, I’ll be breaking my promise.” Old Zhou shook his head.
"It's alright, I'll explain it to Boss Wu." Ye Xingchen smiled.
“Mr. Ye, there’s no need to persuade me. If I can’t keep my promise to someone, I won’t be able to sleep soundly at night.” Old Zhou shook his head and stubbornly led the way.
Ye Xingchen smiled. Old Zhou was a true mountain dweller, possessing the simplicity and honesty of people from the mountains. If he wasn't allowed to lead the way and was forced to go back the way he came, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.
Since that's the case, Ye Xingchen will let him be. He'll find a way to give him some benefits later and bless his family with a peaceful and worry-free life.
Yinlongtan is located in a valley, and to enter the valley, one must pass through a narrow passage.
No one has come here for decades. Even when villagers come to perform sacrifices, they only go this far and dare not go into the valley.
No one has set foot here for decades; the place is covered in moss and is slippery to walk on.
Moreover, the stone walls on both sides were covered with all kinds of plants, completely blocking the passage.
One of the bodyguards took out a machete, stepped forward, and chopped down the plants to clear a path, with the others following behind.
Xie Ya's bodyguards were all former special forces soldiers with battlefield and wilderness survival experience, and they remained vigilant at all times.
"Get through here quickly." The bodyguard captain was named Li Guo. Although he was an ordinary person, he had undergone extremely rigorous training.
His sixth sense was extraordinary. Although the place seemed quiet, he always felt uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen.
So he instructed the men in front to remain vigilant at all times and to clear a path quickly through the area.
The road beneath her feet was rugged and uneven. Xie Ya had been pampered since childhood and had never walked on mountain roads before. After walking for several hours, her legs were already sore and aching.
Moreover, the moss underfoot was very slippery. Suddenly, she slipped, lost her balance, and fell backward.
She cried out in surprise, but fortunately Ye Xingchen reacted quickly and reached out to support her, preventing her from falling to the ground.
Supporting her slender waist, Ye Xingchen straightened her body and then released her.
The girl looks thin, but she's quite well-endowed, with a flexible waist and no excess fat. She feels nice to the touch.
"Thank you." Xie Ya blushed slightly and thanked Ye Xingchen.
"Don't mention it, just be careful." Ye Xingchen reminded her, and seeing that she was a little unsteady on her feet, he simply grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.
Xie Ya was startled and instinctively tried to shake him off, but with Ye Xingchen holding her arm, she felt the road was much easier to walk on, so she didn't resist and let Ye Xingchen hold her arm and walk forward.
Suddenly, the bodyguard leading the way slashed down with his knife, cutting out a soft object that looked like some kind of animal.
As the blood of the unknown animal splattered out, white smoke immediately rose from the bodyguard's body.
The blood of that unknown animal corroded the human body like a strong acid.
The bodyguard screamed in pain, rolling on the ground, clutching his face, and the wounds on his face, splattered with blood, continued to widen.
Then a small blue snake appeared, cut in half, writhing on the ground.
"Be careful, this is a Heart-Eating Dragon, a rare venomous snake." Ye Xingchen rushed forward quickly, pointed a finger and ended the snake's life, then grabbed the bodyguard who was wailing in pain and took out some medicine powder to sprinkle on his face.
"Huang Qiang, how are you?" The bodyguard captain rushed forward and looked at Huang Qiang.
The bodyguard's face was mostly corroded away. Fortunately, Ye Xingchen applied the medicine powder in time, which saved his life. Otherwise, the venom would have spread along his skin, and he would have been like someone thrown into a pool of strong acid.
"He's alright, his life is saved, but his face is ruined." Ye Xingchen released the other person: "After we get out, I'll try to restore the skin on his face. Everyone be careful, we're going to the lair of the Candle Dragon."
"This thing is a kind of ferocious beast. The places it inhabits are teeming with poisonous creatures, and we should prepare for a fierce battle."
"Thank you, everyone stay alert." The bodyguard captain thanked Ye Xingchen, then personally led the way.
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