“The one in the water won’t come ashore, and it didn’t even move when people approached it…”

Xian Qionghua frowned: “Is the one in the water dead?”

The Mountain Household member quickly shook his head: “No, no, it was said to have moved before and even attacked Miss Meng, but it won’t come ashore. That means as long as you stay away from the water’s edge, you’re safe. We just don’t know why, after Miss Meng fell in, that giant crocodile has been lying motionless at the bottom, as if in hibernation.”

Xian Qionghua’s heart pounded heavily: “Could it be that there’s some kind of passage where it’s lying?”

The Mountain Household member didn’t dare to make claims: “We’d need it to move to know for sure. With its size, we might need a crane in here. But Seven Aunt, with such a large pool, if there is a passage below, the water pressure would be tremendous. The giant crocodile would be sucked against it by the pressure, unable to move at all.”

The principle was like a swimming pool drain—the suction at the drain would be extremely strong. If a person got caught, they could be torn apart by the pressure.

“But Mr. Shen said the giant crocodile was active above water before, and when it rose, there was no sign of the lake draining…”

As he spoke, there was another splash from the lake as Jiang Lian surfaced again. Judging by his swimming motions, his strength was nearly exhausted.

Xian Qionghua didn’t appreciate this kind of behavior: knowing something was impossible yet doing it anyway seemed to her either stupid or deliberately showy.

She said coldly, “Who is he struggling for? If he drowns, we’ll be the ones who have to fish him out.”

With that, she turned and walked toward the cave exit.

Meng Jinsong didn’t move. He watched Jiang Lian for a while, then instructed the Mountain Household member: “Call him to shore. We can’t just watch someone die in front of us.”

—

Jiang Lian climbed ashore, completely exhausted.

For safety, the Mountain Household members had evacuated the cave. The closest ones were in the passageway. Jiang Lian didn’t want to leave, so he sat alone at the shore staring at the deathly still waters, his mind a blank fog with all logic and thought thrown to the winds.

He kept asking himself the same question: How is this possible?

How could a living person just disappear underwater?

He refused to consider the possibility that “there was a giant crocodile in the water that might have eaten her.” Each time that thought arose, his temples throbbed painfully.

Shen Gun came and went, bringing him water and food, but Jiang Lian hadn’t touched any of it, feeling he had no right to use the Mountain Ghosts’ provisions.

Each time Shen Gun came in, he updated Jiang Lian on developments outside.

—The smaller giant crocodile had been tied up, its mouth bound with multiple layers of rope, its claws wrapped in thick rubber, and its four legs tied together. This way, they said, it couldn’t escape.

—I heard them say that when facing a crocodile, you can only attack its head and eyes. Other parts are too difficult to harm.

—They found piles of broken eggshells in a higher cave. Who knows how many crocodiles have hatched down here?

—They discovered more than ten entrances, but none large enough for humans to enter. Animals could get in, though. They said this place might operate on a feeding system—smaller ones go out for food, come back to feed the larger ones, and when they grow too big, they stop leaving. They might even eat each other… The experts they consulted said it’s survival of the fittest; they evolve to adapt to extreme environments.

—The Qu girl has been crying badly. The Xian girl hasn’t shed a single tear and was asking if explosives could kill the one underwater. Assistant Meng…

He stopped there, not continuing about Meng Jinsong.

Of course, Meng Jinsong was angry. When he met Shen Gun, he said coldly, “I may have done many things that displeased Qianzi, but at least when I was by her side, I never let her face life-threatening danger. In over ten years, this is the only time I’ve been forced to take an extended leave.”

Shen Gun understood the implication: he took just one leave, and something so terrible happened to Meng Qianzi.

But this wasn’t something he could relay to Jiang Lian. Shen Gun mumbled, “I never expected this either. If I had known, I wouldn’t have looked at the coffin. They told me not to speak loudly, and I didn’t even dare to cough… It would have been better if you hadn’t come to rescue me. At my age, dying wouldn’t be so unfair…”

Jiang Lian interrupted him: “Don’t talk. I’m going to apply a Spirit Eye.”

Shen Gun was startled: “You’re going to draw now?”

Jiang Lian shook his head: “I’m not drawing. I just want to see… When Qianzi had her accident, everything happened too quickly. I didn’t see clearly…”

As he spoke, he had already closed his eyes, his breathing shallow, completely motionless.

Shen Gun hadn’t expected Jiang Lian to “apply” so suddenly. What was he supposed to do? Stand guard? Were there any taboos or precautions? Why didn’t he give any instructions?

He broke into a nervous sweat, worried someone might shout, afraid the giant crocodile below might suddenly attack, and concerned that applying a Spirit Eye in such a physically weakened state might cause problems.

He sat anxiously, as if on pins and needles, for an unknown period. Suddenly, Jiang Lian’s body shuddered. Under his tightly closed eyelids, his eyeballs moved rapidly. Hoarse sounds emerged from his throat, and his hands curled like bird claws, desperately scratching at the ground.

Shen Gun was startled but afraid of disturbing the underwater crocodile, so he dared not shout. He could only quickly support Jiang Lian.

Looking down, he saw Jiang Lian desperately trying to open his eyes but only showing the whites.

Shen Gun suddenly remembered: someone applying a Spirit Eye has a natural awakening process. If disturbed or forced to wake, they could fall into this half-crazed, half-stupefied state—at such times, it was best to use water, fire, or physically wake them.

Shen Gun dared not go near the water, and he had no fire source, so he had to use his hands. He delivered a slap that startled himself first, thinking the “smack” was too loud, so he switched to punching. Unable to bring himself to punch the face, he aimed for the fleshier parts. After countless blows, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

He heard Jiang Lian mumble: “Enough, enough.”

As he spoke, he pushed himself up to sitting.

Shen Gun worried he had been too rough: “Did I… hurt you?”

Jiang Lian mumbled: “There was light.”

Shen Gun didn’t understand: “Huh?”

Jiang Lian looked up at him, somewhat excited: “I saw it. When Qianzi fell into the water, there was a spot on the surface that emitted a halo, golden with rainbow colors, but it disappeared quickly. After the giant crocodile sank, the light vanished.”

His words triggered Shen Gun’s memory: “Was it a golden light with rainbow colors? I saw it too!”

Everything that had happened earlier had been so dangerous that he had forgotten this detail!

Stuttering, he recounted when he had seen the light.

Jiang Lian keenly noticed the similarity: “Was the giant crocodile moving at that time?”

Shen Gun nodded vigorously.

There must be something under the lake surface, concealed by the giant crocodile. Only when the crocodile moved, creating a gap, could glimpses occasionally escape.

Jiang Lian’s voice trembled with excitement: “Let’s find Seven Aunt. Qianzi might be trapped down there.”

—

However, Xian Qionghua showed no interest in Jiang Lian’s discovery. She had already heard about everything from the previous night from Lu Sanming.

In her view, Jiang Lian was more detestable than Shen Gun. Shen Gun falling through the coffin opening was somewhat understandable—no one could have predicted the land dragon would suddenly go mad. But Jiang Lian—knowing the enormous danger below, yet still going down to rescue people—wasn’t that brainless? Besides, who did he save? In the end, wasn’t it the Mountain Ghost reinforcements with their equipment who rescued people?

Capable of little, yet causing much trouble.

The fact that she patiently listened to him finish speaking already showed considerable courtesy.

After listening, she asked him: “Is it possible that the so-called colorful light was just your eyes playing tricks? Or could it have been some reflection or scattering when light hit the water?”

Jiang Lian said, “It wasn’t my eyes playing tricks.”

But as for reflection or scattering, he couldn’t say for sure.

Xian Qionghua smiled coldly: “With that giant crocodile’s size, we don’t have enough people to move it. A crane can’t be brought in, and we’ve discussed explosives, but without understanding the terrain below, it could cause a collapse—too dangerous. Besides, it’s not dead. It doesn’t move when you swim near it, but what about when you try to push, move, or flip it? So, what help did you come to ask from me?”

Jiang Lian heard her unfriendly tone but still answered firmly: “The giant crocodile has moved before. If it encounters danger, it might move again. We could lure it away…”

Xian Qionghua interrupted him: “And then what? With its combat ability, how many Mountain Ghosts would die? Even if there is a colorful light, what if it’s just a colored crystal pressed under its belly? Does a colorful light equal Qianzi?”

No, it didn’t. There were too many uncertainties. Jiang Lian gritted his teeth: “But even if there’s just a tiny bit of hope, we should try.”

Qu Qiao, who had been sitting at the side with swollen red eyes and silent until now, finally spoke up for Jiang Lian: “Seven Sister, he’s also concerned about Qianzi. Even if there’s just a thread of hope, we should try…”

Xian Qionghua abruptly cut her off: “Sixth Sister, this isn’t a theater.”

“Don’t say I don’t care about Qianzi. I rushed here overnight for her sake. But I know what it means to accept reality. If Qianzi is truly still alive, I would risk my life to save her. But reality is before our eyes—the instrument images are crystal clear. I won’t use a ‘thread of hope’ as a pretext to make everyone sacrifice needlessly. Since we’ve agreed to leave the crocodile-breaking task to the Water Ghosts, let’s wait for them to send suitable people.”

It seemed this communication would be fruitless. Jiang Lian smiled: “It’s fine. I just wanted to let you know. Miss Meng’s accident was partly my fault, so I’ll find a way myself and give you all an answer.”

With that, he turned and left.

Xian Qionghua was furious at his attitude and sternly ordered Meng Jinsong: “Lock him up! Don’t let him appear before me these days, and don’t let him cause any more trouble!”

Meng Jinsong acknowledged with a sound and quickly left the tent, with Xian Qionghua’s voice still angry behind him: “I hate people who don’t know their limits.”

After leaving the tent, Meng Jinsong slowed his pace, merely watching as Jiang Lian took large strides toward the pit’s edge with Shen Gun running behind him. Two or three Mountain Household members standing outside the tent had also heard the conversation inside and gathered around Meng Jinsong: “Assistant Meng, Seven Aunt said to lock him up. Should we go up together and hold him down?”

Meng Jinsong nodded: “Yes.”

He reached into his pocket, took out a cigarette, and unhurriedly placed it between his lips. The closest Mountain Household member quickly took out a lighter and eagerly lit it for him.

Meng Jinsong’s face remained expressionless as he took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled before finally saying: “Didn’t we fail to catch up with him?”

—

The Mountain Household had already set up glowing markers in the labyrinth, and Jiang Lian hurried along them. Occasionally, passing through certain passages, he encountered two or three guards. Jiang Lian didn’t say a word, but as he passed one person, he patted their shoulder and took their Mountain Ghost basket.

The person was bewildered, but the Mountain Ghost basket was essentially a tool kit—standard issue that could be reapplied for if lost—so they didn’t mind much.

Shen Gun followed at a trot, not knowing what to say. Only when they approached the water’s edge did he hesitantly suggest: “The crocodile is in the water. Maybe the Water Ghosts would be more effective. Little Lian Lian, shouldn’t we wait a bit…?”

Jiang Lian stopped abruptly.

Shen Gun was startled, not knowing what to do.

Jiang Lian said, “You think I don’t know that Mountain Ghost reinforcements with equipment are more capable, or that Water Ghosts would handle underwater beasts better? I’m afraid that while we wait, either you or Qianzi won’t hold out.”

“It took Six and Seven Aunts twelve hours to get here. The Water Ghosts will only be slower. Who knows what could happen in that time? If Qianzi is still alive, she hasn’t eaten or drunk anything since last night. I don’t even know if she’s injured. How long can she endure? Whoever wants to wait can wait. I won’t.”

With that, he shouldered the Mountain Ghost basket and walked straight toward the water’s edge.

Watching his back, Shen Gun, as if possessed, suddenly blurted out: “Little Lian Lian, you still need to go to Kunlun Mountain to find the box.”

Jiang Lian’s whole body trembled. He paused, turned back, and asked: “Are you suggesting that I definitely won’t return, that Qianzi won’t return either? What are your intentions?”

Shen Gun stammered: “No, no, no, I’m just…”

Jiang Lian smiled: “I’ll still come back… but if I don’t return…”

He thought for a moment and said, “If I don’t return, I’ll rely on you. I feel the puzzle is almost half solved. Considering we’re both in the Box Seekers Alliance and have been Triple Lotus Petals together, I entrust the Kunlun Mountain section to you. Otherwise…”

Shen Gun thought he would say: Otherwise, I won’t let you go even as a ghost.

But instead, he said: “Otherwise, down there, I won’t have the face to meet Master Gan. Even as a ghost, I couldn’t hold my head up.”

—

Jiang Lian plunged into the water.

He had dived down many times already and had touched the rough, thick scales several times, remembering the general route.

Finally, after surfacing a few times to breathe, he found the giant crocodile again.

It was understandable why this giant crocodile didn’t move—with its size and secure scales, why would it fear small fry like him?

Jiang Lian surfaced one last time, taking a deep breath. As he entered the water, he saw Shen Gun standing not far from the shore, like an old tree—a reassuring old tree. His entrusted task, Shen Gun, would surely be fulfilled diligently, just as he had for those friends carrying the ominous slips.

He dived to the bottom, feeling his way along the giant crocodile’s body—from tail to torso to neck—roughly determining the position of its head.

At this moment, he felt somewhat unreasonable: You don’t move when I approach you, you don’t move when I touch you. Now, if I hit you, can you still not move?

He clenched his fist and struck hard at the crocodile’s eye area—one punch wasn’t enough, so he threw another. Shen Gun had said a crocodile’s weakness was its eyes, but whose weakness isn’t their eyes? Who could withstand having their eyes violently punched?

Sure enough, the giant crocodile became agitated. With just one swing of its head, the water stirred up sand from the bottom, instantly becoming murky. Jiang Lian forced his eyes open, seeing the rows of teeth appearing through the yellowish water, and when the crocodile’s body slightly lifted, he glimpsed the colorful light halo beneath its belly.

It must be there. There must be something mysterious below.

Jiang Lian’s mind exploded with realization. Not caring how narrow the gap was where the crocodile’s body had lifted, he used all his strength, pushed against the ground with both hands, and first squeezed his legs through that space, trying to slip in like a fish.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he moved, he felt a strong resistance from behind. His mind worked rapidly, immediately guessing that the crocodile’s teeth had caught the Mountain Ghost basket—at this point, he could only abandon it to save himself.

He slipped his arms back quickly, freeing his body, then pushed against the ground for leverage. Indeed, that spot wasn’t solid; it was like a water channel.

Before the giant crocodile’s body pressed down heavily again, he successfully forced his entire body through.

However, there was no expected rush down a water channel, nor did he land in some safe place. To his horror, he found himself trapped in a sphere of water.

Water surrounded him, but this water was much clearer than the lake water. Looking up, he saw darkness—surely the crocodile’s belly pressing down again. Looking down…

He saw what appeared to be a cave below, with an extremely brilliant ring of rainbow light drifting in mid-air. Outside the light ring was a layer of pale golden haze, like gauze or mist, floating ethereally, resembling scattered gold dust or a circle of stars.

After a moment, he realized it wasn’t a ring of light but individual golden feathers, somehow defying gravity, suspended in mid-air.

And beneath that circle of light…

Jiang Lian felt all the blood in his body rush to his head.

It was Meng Qianzi.

She lay prostrate on the ground, motionless, as if dead. Around her, a large pool of blood had spread, divided into several streams by the uneven ground, still flowing… outward.

Jiang Lian became frantic, desperately pounding against the water sphere. But a person can’t fight against water—any force would be dispersed by the water. He felt like an animal trapped in a water bag for display, constantly flipping, falling, grabbing, and thrashing in that sphere of water, yet unable to escape. Soon, his breath was exhausted, and he began choking on water. Through wave after wave of tumbling, he could still clearly see those lines of blood on the ground, continuously extending outward.