Just then, two whooshing sounds came from afar.
Everyone looked up and saw Lian and Nie Chaoxi soaring from a distance, landing before them in the blink of an eye.
The moment Lian landed, she saw Wu Gou's bloodied state and gasped in alarm.
“Master Wu Gou, what happened to you?!”
She rushed over, reaching out to help him, but then hesitated, pacing anxiously.
“You… how did you end up like this? Who hurt you? Is it serious?”
Wu Gou still smiled and waved his hand: “It’s fine, it’s fine, just a flesh wound.”
Lian’s eyes widened: “A flesh wound? You don’t even have skin left!”
Plague Rat remarked: “Generally speaking, shameless people are like this.”
Wu Gou laughed heartily and briefly recounted the situation underground. As he spoke of the mad woman and the ground full of skeletons, Lian’s face grew paler and paler, and Nie Chaoxi’s eyes began to redden.
After he finished, Wu Gou looked at Nie Chaoxi and said directly: “Benefactor Chaoxi, you should come along too.”
Nie Chaoxi froze, pointing to herself: “Me… me?”
She couldn’t quite believe it and quickly waved her hand: “No, no, I can’t do it. My cultivation is low; I’d only be a hindrance down there…”
Plague Rat bristled upon hearing this: “Bald ass, are you crazy? Why bring a burden down there? It’s so dangerous below, and she just crossed over; she can’t recover her strength quickly like us evil spirits.”
He pointed at Nie Chaoxi, a look of disdain on his face: “Look at her, she hasn’t even reached the sixth-stage. What can she do down there? Become a snack for that mad hag?”
Nie Chaoxi’s face flushed at his words, and she lowered her head, not daring to speak.
Wu Gou, however, shook his head: “Don’t rush, Benefactor Rat. This poor monk has his reasons.”
He looked at Nie Chaoxi and said seriously: “Benefactor Chaoxi, you possess a unique aura.”
Nie Chaoxi looked up, gazing at him in confusion.
Wu Gou said: “Utmost Purity Qi.”
“When this poor monk was underground, that mad woman said something.”
He paused, then imitated the woman’s tone, saying softly: “It seems to be raining outside today.”
“Do you know what rain is?”
“I saw it once before.”
“A very, very long time ago, when I was still above ground.”
“Back then, I was small and understood nothing, only that I had to hide when it rained.”
“But now that I think about it, rain is truly wonderful.”
“Cool and wet, it feels very comfortable on the face.”
After his imitation, he looked at Nie Chaoxi: “She has a sensitivity to Purity Aura. She thought it was raining, believing it was rainwater washing away the Filth of Tianchi Province.”
“But in fact, Tianchi Province has been sunny these past few days, without a single drop of rain.”
“Therefore, this poor monk believes that if this poor monk illuminates her with Buddhist light, and you moisten her with Utmost Purity Qi, it might keep her in her madness for a longer time.”
Plague Rat’s brows furrowed even tighter after hearing this.
He looked at Wu Gou, then at Nie Chaoxi, and suddenly asked: “Bald ass, how confident are you?”
Wu Gou thought for a moment, then honestly shook his head: “This poor monk does not know.”
“That mad woman’s cultivation is far above this poor monk’s; this poor monk still cannot fathom her true depth.”
“If she goes all out, this poor monk cannot last more than three breaths.”
“But this poor monk is not going down there to fight.”
“It is to save.”
Plague Rat was silent for a moment, then cursed: “You’re gambling with your life, damn it.”
Wu Gou smiled: “This poor monk’s life already belongs to the Great Fiend, so what harm is there in a gamble?”
Plague Rat, left speechless by his words, could only roll its eyes.
But he quickly looked at Nie Chaoxi again and said with disdain: “Bringing her down is fine, but let me say this upfront: if a real fight breaks out, I can’t look out for her.”
Nie Chaoxi quickly waved her hand: “No need, no need, I can manage myself. I’ll try my best not to cause you trouble, and I’ll follow all instructions.”
Plague Rat glared at her: “Just stay put. If there’s real danger, do you think we’d let you fight? Just take care of yourself!”
Nie Chaoxi flinched at his fierce tone and dared not say more.
Wu Gou watched this scene and suddenly smiled: “Benefactor Rat, didn’t the Great Fiend say you were the Boss? Why aren’t you protecting your little sister?”
Plague Rat froze: “What little sister?”
Wu Gou nodded and said earnestly: “Chaoxi is a mutated spirit beast, so how is she not an auspice? Do you know about the Dragon and Snake of the Zodiac? I heard Lord say that the snake ranks as Old Six.”
Plague Rat blinked, looking bewildered: “Really Old Six?”
Wu Gou smiled but said nothing.
Nie Chaoxi was also completely baffled, unable to understand what the two were talking about.
But Plague Rat paused for a moment, then his expression suddenly turned serious, feeling a sense of mission welling up within him.
He looked at Nie Chaoxi, scrutinized her from head to toe, then solemnly nodded.
“Alright, Sixth Sister, rest assured, Brother Rat will protect you completely.”
Nie Chaoxi was flustered by his sudden solemnity, her face flushing crimson like a cooked shrimp as she stammered: “Lord… Lord Rat, please… don’t be like that…”
Plague Rat had already turned around, grabbed Wu Gou’s arm, and said in a low voice: “Let’s go, let’s head down first.”
“If something truly goes wrong later, let her run first. Anyway, neither of us can die, so it’s fine to buy her some time, right?”
Wu Gou smiled and nodded: “Excellent, excellent, this poor monk has the same intention.”
He turned to Su Xue, clasped his hands together, and bowed.
“Benefactor Su Xue, this poor monk is departing. If this poor monk does not return, please inform the Great Fiend that this poor monk went to save others, and will return once the salvation is complete.”
Su Xue returned a deep bow: “Master Wu Gou, please take care.”
Wu Gou nodded, then looked at Lian: “Benefactor Lian, please provide support from above.”
Lian nodded vigorously: “I will, I will definitely provide support for you.”
Wu Gou smiled, then turned and, accompanied by Plague Rat and Nie Chaoxi, walked step by step towards the bottomless, human-shaped deep pit.
Reaching the edge of the pit, he stopped and glanced back.
The hazy sky, the pale sun, and the busy little demons in the distance.
He suddenly remembered a long time ago, when he was still Ksitigarbha of Great Vows, he also stood in the sunlight like this, gazing upon all beings.
At that time, he thought he could save all beings.
Later, he realized he could not.
So he saved himself.
But he had no regrets.
Because he had met someone worthy of lifelong devotion, and he had witnessed the true Aspect of All Beings.
He smiled and softly recited a Buddhist invocation.
Then, he activated his earth-tunneling technique and, taking the other two with him, leaped into the deep pit.
The three descended, passing through layer after layer of underground space.
The further down they went, the higher the temperature.
The surrounding air became dry and scorching, as if they were in a giant oven.
Nie Chaoxi’s clothes were quickly soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her body. She gritted her teeth and followed silently.
Plague Rat glanced back at her, frowning as it asked: “Can you still go on?”
Nie Chaoxi nodded, her voice trembling slightly: “I… I’m fine. I’m an aquatic snake; this is my first time encountering such a hot environment, but I’ll adapt.”
Plague Rat said nothing, but its pace slowed somewhat.
Soon, the three landed on Underground Level One.
Rate on N.U.
