Chapter 59 Melting Ice
After Luo Binghe fell into a coma, his oppressive aura lost its power, and the blind corpses that had just retreated into the depths of darkness began to stir again, hissing and swarming around him.
Shen Qingqiu, holding the slumped Luo Binghe in one arm and gripping the Xiuya Sword in the other, swung it violently. The sword flew out of its sheath like an arrow, piercing through more than a dozen corpses in the first few swift movements. However, the gleaming blade reflected intensely, and the green light of the death candles illuminated the sword, making it even more blinding. The blind corpses had an exceptional ability to detect light and were quick to dodge, so the second attack was ineffective. Just as Shen Qingqiu sheathed his sword, several withered arms reached out nearby, one even aiming for Luo Binghe's eyeballs. He unleashed a powerful palm strike, blasting the head of the unruly blind corpse apart.
However, while critical strikes are effective, they can't be used all the time. The spiritual energy consumption is too high, and he'll soon run out. Moreover, Shen Qingqiu has returned to a state of only two bars of spiritual energy, so he can no longer be as reckless as before. After firing about twenty shots, he began to feel his strength waning. The blind corpses were pushing and shoving in the tomb passage, so he had to kick them away one by one. Although these monsters were low-level, they were never-ending. He also had to carry the dazed Luo Binghe. Stumbling, he lost his grip, and Luo Binghe's head hit the stone wall again.
With a loud "thud," it sounded especially painful. Shen Qingqiu guiltily placed his hand under the back of the boy's head, touching it repeatedly, feeling a large bump. He silently prayed, "Amitabha, Amitabha, with this fever and fall, please don't let the child be mentally damaged!!!"
The little ghost was troublesome; staying in this tomb passage filled with death candles would only attract a continuous stream of blind corpses. He changed his posture, hoisting Luo Binghe onto his shoulder with one hand, and dragged him forward with long strides. The blind corpse was left several feet behind, but with his rapid breathing, the death candles lit up continuously, illuminating their figures so clearly that the blind corpse, though unable to keep up, could not shake them off and relentlessly pursued them. Until they passed a small tomb chamber at a corner.
This might also be a preparation room, with coffins lying haphazardly and in a very disorderly manner, some even with their lids overturned on the ground, showing no trace of solemnity or gravity. Shen Qingqiu hurriedly dragged Luo Binghe inside, examining each coffin one by one. Some contained strangely posed, withered corpses, while others were completely empty.
The hissing sounds outside the tomb grew closer, casting long, chaotic shadows that crisscrossed the ground. Seeing the critical situation, Shen Qingqiu leaped into the stone coffin. He had intended to stuff Luo Binghe into the other coffin, but there was no time. The two of them huddled together and rolled into the stone coffin.
Even with the soft padding inside, Shen Qingqiu still saw stars after the fall. Luo Binghe was on top, and Shen Qingqiu was on the bottom, so he was heavily pressed down and almost couldn't catch his breath.
What did this child eat to grow up like this?! He looks so thin, how come he's so heavy!
Half of the coffin lid was not completely closed. Just as Shen Qingqiu was about to reach out to close it, a faint green light flickered outside, and several hunched black shadows were projected onto the ceiling.
The blind corpse has entered.
They slowly approached the tomb chamber, occasionally making soft "knock-knock" sounds, as well as the screeching of sharp fingernails against the surface of the stone coffin, which was chilling.
But if there's one place where they definitely wouldn't hide a death candle, it's inside a coffin. Without a light source, even these blind people couldn't catch them.
Shen Qingqiu lay on his back, unperturbed, with Luo Binghe lying face down on top of him, his head nestled in the crook of his shoulder. The heat transferred to Shen Qingqiu's neck, making him feel uncomfortably hot.
Even he was in pain, so Luo Binghe was naturally in even more pain. Since Luo Binghe's hands were cold but his head was hot, why not use his hands to cool his forehead? Shen Qingqiu thought this was a good idea and was about to grab Luo Binghe's wrist and lift him up when suddenly his body stiffened.
Five withered, bony fingers with unusually long nails appeared above the coffin.
Why are you searching so thoroughly?! Aren't blind corpses supposed to be low-IQ?! They don't even bother with things that aren't glowing!!
Shen Qingqiu suddenly noticed that there was indeed something emitting a faint red glow next to his face.
A sidelong glance revealed that although Luo Binghe's eyes were closed, the Heavenly Demon Mark on his forehead had already materialized, the crimson markings on his forehead flickering with his breath. The red light then dimmed and brightened.
What is this thing?! Is it something like that flashing thing that Ultraman uses at the last moment when he fights a monster?
With both of his hands pinned down by Luo Binghe, he couldn't pull them out to cover the mark of the misdeed. Instinctively, he turned his head sharply, pressing his lips against that smooth forehead.
It looks... kind of like she's kissing Luo Binghe's forehead. Don't worry about the details, survival is the priority!
The withered, slender hand, its fingernails filled with grime and tangled with a few strands of hair, trembled as it reached into the stone coffin and groped around.
The coffin's interior was narrow, but its belly was deep and long. As long as it continued to explore within this limited area, it still wouldn't be able to reach the two people at the bottom. But this hand showed no sign of stopping, probing deeper and deeper. Shen Qingqiu's heart pounded higher and higher with it. Just as it was about to touch Luo Binghe's back, he gritted his teeth, pulled out his right hand, which was almost numb from being pressed down, and found a relatively intact spot on Luo Binghe's back, pressing it down.
With that press, Luo Binghe's upper body was completely pressed against his. Before, there was still a gap to be found, but now, the two were almost embedded together, chest to chest, abdomen to abdomen.
Normally, the lower abdomen should be the softest part of the human body, but Shen Qingqiu's stomach was uncomfortable from Luo Binghe's lower abdomen. The more he pressed down, the more certain he became that Luo Binghe must have eight-pack abs, which were so hard they were painful to look at.
Although the hand stopped a fraction of an inch above Luo Binghe's back, it changed direction and reached out to the other side.
Seeing that he was about to touch Luo Binghe's calf again, Shen Qingqiu steeled his heart and spread his legs apart, letting Luo Binghe's left leg fall between his legs.
We've already compressed the space occupied by the two of them to the minimum; it really can't be any smaller!
The blind corpse groped around for a long time, but found nothing, and slowly pulled it out.
Shen Qingqiu only breathed a sigh of relief after the blind corpses grumbled and left the tomb, wandering away in groups.
This posture is too ugly and too unsightly... If someone were to peek inside, they would surely think that Shen Qingqiu was holding Luo Binghe tightly and was desperately trying to shove him into his arms.
Just as he was about to help Luo Binghe sit up, a voice suddenly rang out from inside the tomb.
"It's too early to put your mind at ease now."
The voice was old and mocking. Shen Qingqiu immediately grabbed the Xiuya Sword, rolled over, pinning Luo Binghe beneath him, sat up, held the sword horizontally in front of him, and stood at attention: "Who!"
The group of blind corpses had long since vanished, leaving the tomb empty except for a room full of cold, lifeless stone coffins.
...Don't tell him which coffin it is that has risen from the dead again! He just checked, and it's almost all dry stuff!
The voice continued, "If I don't want you to see it, you won't see it even if you search the entire Holy Tomb."
After listening for a couple of sentences, Shen Qingqiu realized that the voice was very familiar; he was certain he had heard it somewhere before. And not just one sentence.
A thought flashed through his mind, and he sheathed his sword, saying, "Since you are Senior Dream Demon, there's no need for such tricks."
As soon as he finished speaking, an old man suddenly appeared in the center of the tomb chamber, dressed in luxurious clothes and with eyes like a hawk.
He sat cross-legged on a stone coffin, looking down at Shen Qingqiu with arrogance: "So you still remember me."
Shen Qingqiu said, "Of course I remember. Since Senior Dream Demon has appeared before me, I must be dreaming right now."
Previously, the Nightmare could only appear in dreams as a wisp of black mist, but now it can take human form. It seems that it has recovered quite well by borrowing Luo Binghe's body.
Seeing that it was him, Shen Qingqiu was relieved. The Dream Demon was definitely on Luo Binghe's side, so since he had appeared, he wouldn't harm Luo Binghe.
The Dream Demon scoffed, "But the predicament you two are in right now is not a dream."
Shen Qingqiu said, "Could you please ask Senior Dream Demon for help to enter Luo Binghe's dream and awaken him?"
The nightmare demon said, "I cannot wake you."
Shen Qingqiu asked in surprise, "Why?" Could it be that Luo Binghe's brain has been damaged by a fever?
The Dream Demon said calmly, "I can't get in. This kid's primordial spirit is currently in a state of chaos, a void, shrouded in mist, trapped in a dream from which he cannot awaken. I have only encountered this situation in the dreams of two types of people before. One of them is a person who is seriously ill and on the verge of death."
It seems this isn't something he's going to say nicely. Shen Qingqiu patiently asked, "The second one?"
"A foolish person."
Shen Qingqiu tightened his grip on the Xiuya sword.
The Dream Demon muttered to himself, "That brat deserves it. For the past five years, he's spent his days expending his energy to summon souls, and at night he's recklessly slaughtering his own dream creations. I taught him long ago that doing this is tantamount to destroying his own primordial spirit, but he ignored me. Sooner or later, this day would come. In the past seven days, in order to preserve your physical body, your spiritual power has been depleted, and that demonic sword has been waiting for an opportunity to cause trouble. Moreover, he even forced his way into the Holy Tomb and faced off against the most talented descendant of the Heavenly Demon bloodline in the history of our clan."
Shen Qingqiu's throat went dry. He glanced back at Luo Binghe, who lay unconscious in the stone coffin, and said, "...Even you, senior, couldn't wake him up?"
"We are at a loss."
Shen Qingqiu clasped his hands in a fist salute to him and silently lay back down in the coffin.
Nightmare: "..."
He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing?"
Shen Qingqiu replied, "Go to sleep. Wait until I wake up."
The Nightmare Demon's forehead veins bulged: "How dare you ignore me?"
Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes and said, "Since you said you have no way to help, I can only wait for myself to wake up and protect him when he gets out."
The Dream Demon snorted, "Our clan's sacred mausoleum is fraught with danger, and there are two troublesome characters waiting for us. You alone cannot protect them."
What he said is absolutely right.
But now, besides him, who else can protect, or rather, will protect Luo Binghe?
Shen Qingqiu opened his eyes and sighed, "We have to protect him even if we can't. He's still my disciple after all."
Having tricked Luo Binghe for so long, Shen Qingqiu was in a state of turmoil, unsure of how to feel, but one thing was clear: he absolutely could not let Luo Binghe die here.
The Nightmare Demon said coldly, "After all these years, you're finally willing to admit that this kid is your disciple?"
Shen Qingqiu agreed, "Indeed, it has been a long time."
He was waiting for the nightmare demon to continue its sarcastic and mocking remarks, but the old man suddenly sighed.
He said, "If this kid could wake up and hear what you said, I don't know how happy he would be."
Sir, could you please stop using such unlucky language in every sentence?
Shen Qingqiu's face darkened. What did he mean by "if" and "would he wake up"? This uncertain tone made him even more uneasy!
Suddenly, the Nightmare Demon was filled with rage and shouted, "I am clearly this brat's master! How much have I taught him?! Huh?! I have all-powerful abilities and the art of manipulating people's hearts! But he just won't call me 'Master,' he keeps calling me 'Senior,' 'Senior'! You, a mere mortal, have only taught him some rudimentary martial arts and crude mental techniques, yet he chases after you crying and shouting 'Master!' It's infuriating!"
He had been holding back his anger for a long time, and now seeing the two people lying in the same coffin was even more jarring. His old eyes were about to go blind, and he was extremely unhappy, so he started to complain.
Shen Qingqiu was also displeased. The swordsmanship of the Cangqiong Mountain Sect was just rudimentary fist and foot techniques?!
He chuckled and said, "I am his life mentor."
System verification shows that Luo Binghe's outlook on life, worldview, and values were all influenced by him.
The nightmare demon retorted, "You know that too? Then why have you been able to so heartlessly abandon him all these years?"
Shen Qingqiu choked again. From Luo Binghe's perspective, there seemed to be nothing wrong with the question.
The Nightmare Demon, his beard bristling and eyes wide, glared and said, "If I had eliminated you discreetly in the dream back then, none of this trouble would have arisen today." He paced back and forth on the stone coffin, his hands clasped behind his back, and roared, "This kid was originally a promising talent, but he becomes so spineless around you, all fuss and tears, and he even tries to put on an act in front of you, pretending to be cold-blooded! In my opinion, I should either deal with you or kill you. This fuss, this coy pretense, this half-hearted talk, it's infuriating to watch!"
Shen Qingqiu really wished she could cover her ears or sew his mouth shut.
Nightmares are so annoying!!! Is it really okay to talk about this in front of the person in question?!
He glanced at Luo Binghe's peacefully sleeping face beside him, and for a moment his mind flashed back to the image of him crying... Uh, he immediately looked away, his cheeks felt a little hot, it must be his imagination!
Shen Qingqiu, unable to bear it any longer, asked, "Senior, can you please wake me up?"
The nightmare still harbored resentment: "Wake up? Even if you wake up, you won't know how to get out."
Shen Qingqiu: "Of course I know. Please tell me, senior, which direction did Luo Binghe use the Black Moon Python Rhinoceros to break the boundary?"
The Nightmare said, "The entrance that was opened has now been closed."
Shen Qingqiu said, "It's not necessarily impossible to open it again."
His gaze fell on the Demon Sword at Luo Binghe's waist. The entrance, having just been opened once, must still be quite weak. Perhaps another Sky-Splitting Slash with the Demon Sword could reopen it!
The nightmare followed his gaze, understanding the situation, but remained unconcerned: "This sword may not be willing to serve you."
He knew this, of course. Shen Qingqiu gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "There's no other way. We have to try."
When he woke up, he was still lying in the stone coffin, and Luo Binghe was obediently lying on top of him, being held tightly in his arms.
Thank goodness, that tormenting old demon of nightmares finally let him out!
Just as Shen Qingqiu was about to sit up, suddenly, his right leg seemed to brush against something, which poked hard against the inside of his thigh.
Shen Qingqiu initially mistook it for the sword hilt and absentmindedly reached out to deflect it. The moment he touched it, a system message exploded:
[Satisfaction +1000 ┏(┏ ^q^)┓~~~ Congratulations on achieving the "*Relationship Progress" achievement!!!]
In an instant, Shen Qingqiu froze into a solid mess.
"*Relationship progress"? What the hell is that?
He looked down again. This "sword hilt" was truly an extraordinary thing.
It's a pillar of heaven! It's a pillar of heaven!
Shen Qingqiu was contemplating killing someone and then committing suicide!
After swirling and dancing wildly in the wind for a while, he slapped his face, comforting himself: There's no distinction between day and night inside the sacred tomb; maybe it's morning outside?! Normal phenomenon, a normal physiological phenomenon!
It will disappear on its own, right? That's generally how it works!
But leaving it like this seems too pitiful!
There's nothing I can do about it, I can't exactly help him masturbate in this situation, can I?!?!?!?!
Pretending not to see it should be forgivable, right?!?!?!?!
Exactly! Ultimately, a master has absolutely no obligation to help their apprentice quell their anger, even if the apprentice started the anger themselves!
Shen Qingqiu shoved Luo Binghe up abruptly, slapped his chest, and sent several waves of spiritual energy into him. Although it wasn't much, he couldn't output any more now; he'd just send as much as he could.
Everything else, ignore it all! Ignore it!
After exiting the stone coffin, Shen Qingqiu dragged Luo Binghe along, heading towards the "due east end" indicated by the nightmare demon. After walking for a while, the walls of the tomb passage became damp, slippery underfoot, and covered in thick moss, making it increasingly difficult to maintain their footing. Shen Qingqiu slowed down to avoid slipping.
As you continue walking, not only moss but also weeds and wildflowers sprout up. The tomb passage gradually widens, with trees of varying heights rising from the ground on both sides. The ground is not only slippery but also covered with gnarled and twisted old tree roots, which occasionally trip you up. Insects swoop by, and birds chirp. The dark blue sky suddenly rises higher, with shimmering white pebbles embedded in it, resembling a starry night sky at first glance.
Although they had the illusion of being in a jungle, they did not leave the sacred tomb, but instead entered a special burial chamber inside the tomb.
Each tomb chamber in the Holy Mausoleum was designed by successive demon nobles for themselves during their lifetimes. They are incredibly diverse and varied. Like an apartment building, each resident moves in with a bare shell, and then, of course, decorates and furnishes it according to their own preferences. Those skilled in mechanisms will focus on esoteric arts and stratagems. Those familiar with magical beasts will raise guardian monsters. Those skilled in herbs will cultivate poisonous flowers and exotic plants.
The owner of this tomb chamber was clearly the last type. Despite the unassuming appearance of these trees, flowers, and plants, Shen Qingqiu had absolutely no desire to get involved with them.
He took off his coat and draped it over their heads, tightened his grip on Luo Binghe's waist, and cautiously took a step forward.
The grass rustled and moved.
Suddenly, a sharp whooshing sound accompanied by a cold, white light shot through the air.
Shen Qingqiu snapped his fingers with his left hand, and the Xiuya Sword at his waist was drawn in response, clashing with the incoming cold sword with a clang. Before that was even resolved, a second white light arrived. This time, it was aimed directly at Luo Binghe's throat. The Xiuya Sword was blocking the first sword and couldn't be recalled, nor could it be discarded; if it touched the flowers and plants, it would be all over!
In a moment of urgency, Shen Qingqiu shifted slightly, raised his arm, and grabbed the sword blade with his bare hand.
The blade cleaved deeply into his palm, but he gripped it firmly, refusing to advance even an inch further. Blood didn't drip, but splattered, instantly covering half of Shen Qingqiu's clothes and the green grass on the ground with a layer of bright red.
He finally realized how painful it was to grab a blade directly with his bare hands.
Blood stained Shen Qingqiu's eyes, and he suddenly looked up, his pupils shrinking sharply.
I never expected that the "little fish" Tianlang-jun was referring to was actually these two people.
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