Chapter 18 The Skeleton Army
It truly was a final act of tenderness before parting.
Ye Kemeng's expression was so unpleasant that even though the other five were overjoyed at finding the 'way back', they couldn't help but notice her demeanor.
"Miss Ye, what's wrong?" Bai Lingyu took a few steps forward, past Gu Qingli, his gaze revealing concern beneath his restrained expression.
Ye Kemeng snapped out of her daze, snapped her eyes back to the present, and said, "Didn't you guys notice? Someone's missing."
After being reminded by her, Bai Lingyu quickly counted the number of people present.
One, two... five, six.
“There really are fewer people. How come I only realized it now?” A disciple following behind Bai Lingyu said, somewhat bewildered.
"Yes, yes, one person is missing."
"Could the ancient battlefield alter our memories? Such a big thing as losing one person, yet I didn't feel anything was wrong."
After all, the records she read about the dangers of ancient battlefields did not mention 'erasing memories'.
Only a dignified Emperor Cangyao could erase his disciple's memory so quietly.
When 666 was advising her not to marry the phoenix, he said that Cangyao was the first phoenix in ancient times, and in that era when countless gods and demons emerged, Cangyao was the most brilliant and outstanding one.
Later, all the gods and demons perished, but this phoenix remained alive and well.
However, for the past hundreds of thousands of years, Cangyao has rarely fought or killed, but has focused on compiling books and growing plants and flowers, which can be described as the demeanor of a "retired old cadre".
"If he did all of this on purpose, even if I go back the way I came, will I still be unable to find him?" Ye Kemeng thought to herself.
Just as Ye Kemeng was hesitating whether to turn back and try to find the phoenix, she suddenly heard a disciple scream excitedly: "I found the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Flower Leaf! It's here!"
Ye Kemeng looked in the direction of the sound and saw a palm-sized emerald green leaf lying on the ground of the lowest stone step.
She leaned closer to examine it and discovered that the veins on the leaf were shimmering and iridescent, as if they were alive.
It is exactly as described on the bamboo slips.
Now, no matter how much Ye Kemeng didn't want to believe that Phoenix had really left her, she had to face reality.
An ancient battlefield so safe there was absolutely no risk, a suddenly appearing return-to-city stone staircase, and the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Flower Leaf that had no companion beast in sight and could be taken back to complete the task... It's impossible to explain without the intervention of a powerful deity who can turn the world upside down with a flick of their wrist.
But this god's own life was hanging by a thread, yet he still had the time and energy to do these things. What was he thinking?
Will he die after doing so much?
-
"We completed the mission so easily?" Gu Qingli finally revealed a hint of surprise beyond her scholarly demeanor.
"Perhaps the trials here aren't actually that difficult; it's just that the elders made them sound so mysterious and terrifying to keep us on our guard," one disciple said.
Bai Lingyu disagreed: "The elders have always been pragmatic. There must be some other secrets to how smoothly our trip went."
“I think so too,” Gu Qingli said, taking out a small stick from the brocade pouch at her waist and squatting down. “But now the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Flower and the Return Stone Steps are right in front of us. The only regret is our missing companion. Let me divine his fortune and misfortune.”
Everyone agreed on this point.
Because the whole process went so smoothly, the most dangerous part was actually going down the stone steps. But the elder had said that there would be no real harm on the stone steps.
They're all relatively young, and they still have that fearless, youthful arrogance in their bones.
I had long forgotten the words written on the bamboo slip: "Don't stay in one place for too long, or you will attract something terrible."
Ye Kemeng still retained the strong sense of vigilance of a kitten: "We'll divide the work. The three of you will guard the perimeter, while Bai Lingyu and I will protect the diviner and issue an immediate warning if there is any danger."
"Yes, Senior Sister Ye."
Gu Qingli gently cupped the small stick in her hands, closed her eyes, lowered her head, and seemed to be softly chanting some incantations.
Ye Kemeng stared intently at her, anticipating the results of Gu Qingli's divination.
Gu Qingli's fingers were very slender, but the pads of her fingers were covered with calluses, which was probably due to her practice of divination since childhood.
As she murmured, the small stick held in her hands began to tremble, and Ye Kemeng heard the crisp clinking sound of the sticks colliding.
[This is the ability of a fortune teller. Each fortune teller has their own unique style of divination. It seems that Gu Qingli imbued the wooden stick with a spirit and then used the pattern left on the ground by the stick to determine the matter she was divining.] 666 explained to Ye Kemeng.
Ye Kemeng nodded.
Suddenly, she heard a disciple on guard duty on the perimeter shout in alarm: "Skeletons ahead! So many skeletons! Run! Run!"
The yellow sand concealed the presence of the skeleton army, and they appeared abruptly in front of the six without making a sound!
The three disciples on guard felt their hearts pounding and their legs were so weak that they could barely move. The distance they could normally run back in a few steps took them several breaths because they couldn't lift their legs.
In just a few breaths, the skeleton army had clearly appeared before them!
A wave of blood and a chilling atmosphere washed over her, and Ye Kemeng felt as if every inch of her skin had been pricked by tiny needles.
She grabbed the nearest disciple with her left hand, grabbed Gu Qingli's shoulder with her right hand, and rushed towards the stone steps with the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Flower leaf still in her mouth.
She mumbled, "Stop divining for now, let's go up the stone steps!"
Bai Lingyu followed closely behind Ye Kemeng, leading the other two disciples as they ran up the stone steps.
With Ye Kemeng grabbing her, Gu Qingli lost her grip, and all the wooden sticks fell to the ground.
She quickly snapped out of her divination state: "I haven't checked the results yet!"
Even if the divination process is interrupted, as long as the stick falls to the ground, one can glean some insight into what one is thinking.
Turning around, Gu Qingli caught sight of the terrifying skeleton army and screamed, startling Ye Kemeng so much that the three of them nearly fell.
Her tone was unexpectedly calm, but because she had something in her mouth, her words were still muffled: "Don't be afraid, we've already reached the stone steps. Keep climbing, put on your mermaid veil, it should be alright..."
Before the word 'death' could be uttered, the skeleton army had already rushed to the stone steps, their hooves crushing the yellow sand. The stone steps, which Elder Chen had described as 'very stable and able to protect them,' began to shake violently!
Oh no!
Ye Kemeng steadied herself and tossed the two disciples she was carrying toward the higher stone steps, shouting indistinctly, "Lie down on the steps! Don't fall!"
She positioned herself on the stone steps with a standard prone position, tilting her head to try and see the movements of the skeleton army below.
Upon seeing this, Ye Kemeng gasped in shock.
The skeletons actually drew their bows and arrows, ready to shoot them!
The dense swarm of arrows was already aimed at them!
At such a short distance, even flying wouldn't be enough to avoid it!
At this moment, Ye Kemeng had no other way out but to pin her hopes that the stone steps would protect them.
But she still urged everyone to climb up.
This is a kitten's survival instinct; even if death is inevitable, it will struggle to the very last moment.
-
In the central general's carriage of the skeleton legion, a crimson light flashed in the empty sockets of the adjutant's eyes as he said, "General, the intimidation is not working; they are still climbing. The woman the Emperor specifically requested is almost at the eighty-first. And the Shattering Hammer will not be deployed for another three breaths."
To shatter the stone steps, you need that shattering hammer.
"She wasn't scared out of her wits?" the general asked in a rough voice.
"Yes, on the contrary, they're climbing faster and faster because of our intimidation." The adjutant's eyes flashed with crimson again as he asked, "General, should we continue shooting arrows?"
If we shoot arrows, and that woman climbs even faster, we'll reach a completely safe area.
"Shoot," the general ordered. "Disarm the Soundproof Formation."
The Skeleton Legion consists of two armies: the Divine Soldiers and the Demon Soldiers. It's said the Demon Soldiers have already captured Cang Yao; they certainly can't afford to fail in capturing this young woman!
"yes."
Arrows rained down, accompanied by the sound of them piercing the air, shooting towards the six men from behind like white rainbows piercing the sun.
As soon as the sound-absorbing array was withdrawn, the continuous 'whooshing' sounds were like a death knell.
Ye Kemeng didn't care where the arrows were hitting, and she ignored the sudden, chilling sound. She crawled desperately, trying to fight for her life.
Unexpectedly, the disciple at the front lost his composure, lost his footing, and fell downwards!
In a panic, he frantically grabbed at the ground with both hands, managing to grab onto Gu Qingli's skirt and drag the ordinary fortune teller down with him!
Ye Kemeng swiftly grabbed Gu Qingli's wrist, while her other hand gripped the stone steps tightly with her fingertips. The immense downward force caused Gu Qingli's body to slide, and Ye Kemeng continued to increase the force, leaving five bloody streaks on the stone steps with her fingertips.
At the same time, a clanging sound of metal clashing against stone came from behind. Out of the corner of Ye Kemeng's eye, she saw that all the arrows were blocked by an invisible wave before they hit their bodies, and that wave came from the stone steps.
For a fleeting moment, a flash of inspiration struck Ye Kemeng.
No, they definitely have a backup plan.
They're just stalling for time!
Ye Kemeng's fingertips tightened, she gritted her teeth, and desperately climbed upwards.
The instant she bit down, a force powerful enough to shake the heavens slammed into the stone steps, leaving Ye Kemeng dizzy and disoriented.
A note from the author:
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