Ch.122: The Nether Water Manor; Black Robes White Bones
Yet on the shore, there was not a single soul behind them!
Xie Lian had carried Fang Xin on him the entire journey, and the moment he saw the reflection he immediately swung the sword back. That black shadow was clearly stabbed, yet it felt like a ball of waves was stabbed instead, and it broke up into a series of ripples before it disappeared on the spot. Hua Cheng also raised his brows slightly, glancing in the direction of where that black shadow disappeared and knitted his brows.
Soon after, more and more shadowy figures appeared in the water reflection, their blanched faces and pale hands the only things eye-catching in the blackened night. Xie Lian unsheathed his sword and swept, shouting, “GENERAL PEI! GO TO THE WATERS AND LOOK AT THE REFLECTIONS! THE REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER CAN REVEAL THOSE CREATURES!”
If they weren’t in the Demon Lair, those little ghosts wouldn’t be able to come near a heavenly official at all. Pei Ming wasn’t able to see the enemy earlier, yet now that he could observe through the water, he watched the reflection and easily took care of the crowd of ghosts surrounding him with but two swings of his sword. Shi Wudu also finally noticed the strange reflections and he knelt by the waters, shouting into the lake with his head down, “QINGXUAN? ARE YOU THERE?!”
That water was black, that iron prison was also black, and melded into one, it was hard to notice; only that one hand was white. Suddenly, a face appeared between the iron bars, and it was Shi Qingxuan!
He didn’t seem to be able to see the Shi Wudu outside the iron prison, and his expression was one of chilling terror. His two hands clutched the iron bars, desperately trying to squeeze his head out, looking like he was crying for help yet not a single sound passed through. He didn’t yell for very long before suddenly, several shrivelled, decaying hands grabbed at his head, pulled at this face, his neck, his shoulders, and yanked him down!
Seeing this, Shi Wudu cursed and was about to jump right into the water when Pei Ming pulled him back, “Water Master-xiong, you can’t! Can’t you tell this is a trap? You can’t manipulate the waters of the South Sea, and as a Water God, if you enter someone else’s water territory, aren’t you just asking to be butchered?”
Shi Wudu patted his shoulder and only said this: “Then help me guard the outside.”
Then he shoved him away, leapt and jumped into the Black Water Lake!
The moment he entered the waters he sank right down. Pei Ming called out, “WATER MASTER-XIONG!” But he couldn’t follow because he knew that this lake was most likely a ‘boundary’. Much like the mechanisms setup in ancient graves, outsiders could open the tomb gates and intrude, but once inside, the doors would close automatically and would not open from the inside, leaving the intruders to die trapped within. It’d be hard pressed to say that this ‘boundary’ didn’t have a similar mechanism. Xie Lian called out, “General Pei! Don’t go in. There’s a corpse right by your feet, hurry back to the beach and build a coffin to prepare for evacuation. I’ll go in!”
“Your Highness? Will you be alright?!” Pei Ming asked.
“Your spiritual powers are pretty much cut down coming to this place, so we’re equals now. I’m more experienced than you fighting with bare fists!”
Pei Ming then glanced at the Hua Cheng standing next to Xie Lian and recalled that he could float on the water surface, so the two of them were much more useful than he would be here, not less, so without further ado, he picked up the corpse of that little ghost and rushed out of the woods. Xie Lian turned to face Hua Cheng, “San Lang, will you lend me a little spiritual power again… just a little, a little little bit is enough!”
Without a word, Hua Cheng gave his small back a gentle pat. When Xie Lian swung Fang Xin again, a giant pillar like white light flashed and every little ghost on scene was killed by the strike. Xie Lian was speechless for a moment and instantly sheathed the sword. “I’m off!”
The two jumped into the water at the same time. However, at the bottom of the Black Water Lake, other than the abnormally cold lake water, there wasn’t anything strange.
This water was also different than the ship-sinking waters of the Black Water Demon Lair, and one could obviously float within, not unlike a normal lake. Xie Lian was puzzled and swam downwards directly. It didn’t take long for him to reach the bottom but there wasn’t any strange mechanism to be seen and he didn’t see Lord Wind Master or Lord Water Master either. He knitted his brows and mused for a moment before he swam back up. Moments later, Xie Lian broke through the surface and sucked in a few breaths, wiping wetness off of his face, and it was only then did he realize that the landscapes upon the shore had transformed!
Next to the Black Water Lake, there stood an iron prison, and it was the exact same one reflected in the waters earlier.
However, other than the prison, everything else on the shoreside was still exactly the same. It was also overly quiet, adding to the hauntingness of the place. Shi Wudu had already climbed ashore and was just smashing against the giant lock on that iron prison with a giant boulder. He was the heavenly official who controlled water, now that he entered the domain of another who could control water and he lost the ability to manipulate water, he was like a beast with fangs and claws removed. When Xie Lian and Hua Cheng climbed ashore, the moment Shi Wudu saw Xie Lian his eyes lit up and he raised his hand, “A martial god! Thank god! Quick, use your martial god ways to take care of this!”
“…”
Will everyone now understand the benefits of a martial god? Xie Lian thought internally as he silently approached and gave the lock a kick, cracking it soundly. Another kick and the prison gates opened. Shi Wudu rushed to go in and cried, “QING—”
Yet before he even charged in, a crowd came rushing out instead, wailing and howling, “OH OH OH OH OH AH AH AH AH AH WU WU WU WU WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH!”
Those people were all disheveled and unkempt, emaciated and gaunt, their eyes blank, their ragged clothes covering nothing, revealing rows of ribs. They were so filthy it was like they hadn’t bathed in over ten years; their hands were swinging and grabbing randomly, pounding at their own chests and stopping in their steps, they roared and cried incoherently, exceedingly horrifying, and they streamed out like a wave of polluted waters, leaving Shi Wudu in petrified shock.
However, they were only trying to escape; they didn’t stick around to harass, and so even if Shi Wudu was momentarily stunned, he didn’t care for them and continued to charge into the building, “QING—!”
Yet before he could even make a few steps, he staggered in his step and almost fell – that ground was extremely slippery! There was also a rotten stench emanating from within the iron prison that was hard to describe, and even Xie Lian who was still outside could smell it, holding his breath. Shi Wudu thus covered his orifices with his sleeve and continued to charge in, finally able to yell the full name, “QINGXUAN?!”
It was pitch black within the prison, and all around them were muffled sobbing and strange murmured chattering. Moments later, a weak voice came, “…ge…”
Sure enough. Shi Qingxuan was sitting brokenly in the deepest part of the iron prison, leaning against a wall. On the wall was that sole tall window of the iron prison, and the moonlight leaking through the window illuminated his person, making him look white as a sheet. Next to him was surrounded by a number of filthy creatures. Some had rotten sores covering their entire bodies, some were imitating the cries of a pig, some were pecking grain like they were chickens, and some were hugging Shi Qingxuan, wailing and calling him baby, all of them insane.
Shi Qingxuan had once been an esteemed heavenly official, and never once had he ever fallen to such a state. Shi Wudu immediately went up and shot out a blast, “GET LOST! WHAT KIND OF GHOSTS ARE THESE?!”
He and Shi Qingxuan resembled each other, yet their auras were completely different.
Although his spiritual powers were cut down right now, his might was even more domineering, and those mad men scrambled away in fear. Xie Lian couldn’t help but feel sympathy and Shi Qingxuan also chided, “Ge, don’t fight, they’re not little ghosts.
They’re all… live people!”
Sure enough, although each of those figures looked more demonic than demons, but when looked closely, they were all in fact humans. Xie Lian couldn’t help but be taken aback, ‘Why would the Black Water Demon Xuan lock up a bunch of those people here?’ he wondered.
Shi Wudu however, didn’t care for them at all. He held up that longevity locket in one hand, and the other grabbed hold of Shi Qingxuan arm, “How did you come here?
Where are you hurt?”
Shi Qingxuan really was quite dirty, but other than a scratch on his leg that was bleeding a bit, there didn’t seem to much else. “I don’t know how we got here. A wave surged and knocked us out and when we came to, we were already here. This is just a small scratch, it’s nothing serious! Ming-xiong’s injuries are more severe.”
Only then did the others realize that Ming Yi was lying on the ground nearby, looking ashen, but not ashen from displeasure. Patches of purple and blue covered his face and Xie Lian asked, “What’s happened to Lord Earth Master?”
“Seemed he was bitten by those creatures in the sea,” Shi Qingxuan replied, “Those Skeleton Fish have green moss on their teeth and bones, and they’re all poisonous! I gave him all the medicine I had on me, but… sigh.”
Xie Lian squatted down and was going to look him over carefully, but he almost fainted from the disgusting stench of the place. Looking around, there were some wooden buckets placed about, and within those buckets were all swills, emanating an astringent and musty smell. There was even the rotten stink of sores and blood, and the horrifying stench of chamber pots that hadn’t been emptied for months.
Shi Wudu couldn’t tolerate it any longer, “Such a disgusting hobby, it seems this Ship-Sinking Black Water doesn’t have any sense of class either. Qingxuan, let’s go!”
He pulled Shi Qingxuan up and started to drag him out but Shi Qingxuan spoke up, “I’m fine, no need to assist me.” Then he went to carry Ming Yi before slowly moving out of the iron prison.
However, it was easier to come than go. The boundary passage in the Black Water Lake was already sealed shut. They entered the waters a few times and emerged through the surface but the sceneries never changed, proving that they were truly kept within the boundary of the Black Water Lake, unable to leave.
“Where’s General Pei?” Shi Qingxuan asked.
“I made Pei-xiong stay outside. He should be able to think of a way.” Shi Wudu replied.
“I told General Pei to go build a coffin boat so the moment we get out we can evacuate.” Xie Lian said.
“If he’s completed the coffin boat then it’s also fine if he goes back to report first before coming back for us.” Shi Wudu said.
However, Ming Yi was wounded, and while they weren’t sure how powerful the poison was, it was still better to leave as soon as possible, so they might not be able to wait that long. After some contemplation, Xie Lian said, “This Black Water Demon Xuan might live in seclusion out here in the sea but there’s no way he’d never leave. Surely he wouldn’t have to cross an entire Black Water Demon Lair every time he wants to go out?”
“You’re very right.” Shi Wudu said, “There must be a place on this island that can cast the Distance Shortening spell.”
Shi Wudu didn’t particularly care for Xie Lian at first, but now that they’re shouldering hardships together and Xie Lian saved Shi Qingxuan time and time again, naturally he now looked at him differently, and agreed without any scrooge. Just then, Ming Yi slightly raised a hand, and Shi Qingxuan asked, “Ming-xiong? What do you want to say?”
Looking like he was trying to save strength, Ming Yi didn’t speak, and only raised that hand higher. The others looked to the direction of his raised hand and saw in the deep of the forest stood a black, gloomy building.
Ming Yi dropped his hand and croaked, “That place… what’s it for, do you know?”
“No.” Xie Lian said, “We didn’t see it on the way here.”
Shi Wudu squinted, “That must be the Nether Water Manor of that Black Demon Xuan.”
In rumours, the residence of Black Demon Xuan was called the ‘Nether Water Manor’.
Making the decision, Shi Wudu said, “Let’s go.”
He actually started walking towards the manor without any fear of retribution. Although it seemed tactlessly rude, but under the current circumstances, what other choice did they have?
If it’s said that they were spinning about in someone else’s backyard earlier, then now they’re about to go break in through someone else’s front doors. Xie Lian whispered to Hua Cheng, “San Lang, if this is awkward for you, you don’t need to come.”
However, Hua Cheng also looked somber and said, “Quicken your pace, gege. Leave here as soon as possible.”
Xie Lian nodded and stopped speaking. However, he could tell faintly that Hua Cheng seemed to have scruples, and it wasn’t about the master of this land but something else.
He’d always thought there was something off, and he thought of all the little questions that have been piling up for a while now, and they were making him feel anxious. Soon, the group crossed through the forest, disregarding that band of insane mad men running about, and came before that haunting black building.
It was then did they realize that this ‘Nether Water Manor’ was in fact a large palace, its build and make were very similar to the exquisit Wind Master Palace and Water Master Palace. The palace doors were tightly shut, and after the group of them hiked up the countless steps and stood before the gates, Xie Lian knocked on the doors and called out brightly, “Pardon the intrusion! We have, by accident, offended bluntly. We deeply apologize.”
No one answered. Xie Lian steadied his mind and slowly pushed open the palace doors.
At first, based on Xie Lian’s years of experience and past patterns, even if there was something inside it wouldn’t come out and greet the moment the doors open. Yet he had to eat his own words. With the first look and there was something petrifying.
In the grand, spacious centre of the great hall sat a person. And this person, dressed in all black, its face snow white – was a corpse!
Instantly Xie Lian shut the doors soundly.
He thought, ‘Did I maybe open the doors incorrectly? Something like that shouldn’t show itself so fast?’
He had wanted to try greeting again and start over but Shi Wudu had already walked past him and pushed open the doors, humphing, “We’ve already come, so what does it matter if he doesn’t welcome us?”
The group slowly stepped into the palace and stealthily approached that set of skeleton dressed in black. Xie Lian examined it carefully and wondered, “Who does this corpse belong to? Why is it being worshipped here?”
Ming Yi knitted his brows, “…Wasn’t, General Pei, left behind? It can’t be him?”
That really could be a possibility. Shi Wudu was slightly stunned and looked it over a few more times and immediately refuted, “It shouldn’t be. The body shape of this set of bones is flatter than General Pei.”
Suddenly, Shi Qingxuan said, “Wait.”
The group looked to him and Shi Qingxuan said, “Isn’t the answer obvious? This is the Nether Water Manor. The only one that could be worshipped in the Nether Water Manor is naturally…”
Xie Lian understood what he wanted to say, “Black Water Demon Xuan?”
———
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