Although the tunnels had expanded once more, Gui Yin and Erlang found themselves faced with a new discomfort.
Erlang’s face was horribly twisted as he shifted closer to Gui Yin. Despite the lack of personal space, Gui Yin didn’t even protest. He only pitied Erlang, who was exposing himself as a through and through neat freak. Gui Yin glanced at the walls that were oozing some unidentifiable substance, made worse by the vines above and below that seemed to be the cause of them, and then looked to his traveling partner. He awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Do you…want to go back? We can try the other tunnel,” Gui Yin offered.
Erlang shook his head. Despite how ashen he looked, he said: “This is the correct path. The other one won’t send us to our goal.”
“Did the stars tell you again?” Gui Yin asked, somewhat exasperated.
Erlang glanced at Gui Yin. He didn’t seem to mind that the other man had voiced his obvious skepticism. He simply nodded and avoided a particularly large puddle. “The stars are never wrong.”
“Are these stars real, or is this just your blind instinct? Because if this is just your blind instinct, we can turn back,” Gui Yin said.
Erlang gave Gui Yin a smirk that perfectly showed off his dimples. “It’s complicated. I’ll explain it to you in the future.”
“Why not now?”
“In the far future,” Erlang reiterated. His face twisted in disgust again as his wide sleeves brushed against the slimy wall. He irritably flung the slim away and mourned his ruined arm. After a moment, he reluctantly cleared his throat. “If you don’t trust me, then look behind. Don’t you think it’s odd that the way back is still open?”
Gui Yin paused temporarily and looked over his shoulder. Not only was the way back still open, it looked rather inviting with how blindingly bright it was, compared to this mucus-y dampness they were currently saddled with.
“If we chose the wrong path, do you think this place would leave us a way out?” Erlang asked. “On the contrary, it’s because we chose the right path that this place is hoping we get disgusted enough to head back to the wrong way.”
Gui Yin felt that Erlang’s explanation was reasonable. He let out a short sigh and patted Erlang comfortingly with the side of his folding fan. “Thank you for your sacrifice.”
Erlang smiled weakly as they trudged onwards.
“But those stars of yours—can’t I get a tiny bit of an explanation?”
“It’s complicated,” Erlang said. “But another reason I knew this was the right path was because I’m following the scent of the Stygian Claw.”
“…Does it smell bad?”
Erlang glanced at Gui Yin with a raised brow.
“Well, it’s always held in Qiao Ceng’s hands, right? It must have collected a lot of palm sweat,” Gui Yin said smilingly.
“…Hah.”
“…C’mon, you found it funnier than that.”
“It feels like it would be an insult to my intelligence if I laughed more than that,” Erlang said.
“So, it was funny,” Gui Yin mumbled indignantly.
“It’s the same as if you were to follow the trail of Demonic or Spiritual Qi,” Erlang explained. “What I’m following right now is the energy produced by this Heavenly Weapon.”
“Is it a Heavenly Weapon?” Gui Yin asked.
“It is. Qiao Ceng is part of the Heavenly Demon bloodline. If a weapon is created from a part of his body, it will naturally become a Heavenly Weapon,” Erlang said.
“So powerful,” Gui Yin marveled. “Well, I can’t wait to see it.”
“Keep your hopes down. It’s a regular pair of claws that you slip over your hands,” Erlang said with a shrug. “I’ve seen spiritual weapons more impressive than that.”
“No way,” Gui Yin clicked his tongue. “It’s a Heavenly Weapon, so it should be the most impressive, earth-shattering weapon there is. How could you insult it and say it’s just a regular pair of claws?”
“I would say your Fenghua Fan is more impressive than that thing,” Erlang said with a scoff.
Gui Yin tilted his chin, somewhat proud as he flourished his fan. “Well, that’s different. A natal weapon must match its owner’s prowess.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Erlang glanced at Gui Yin with a suppressed smile. “Speaking of which, you have two natal weapons, don’t you?”
“Zc, pera akb.”
“Just two,” Erlang said, exaggerating the first word with a hint of sarcasm. “Gui-xiong, acting too humble is more obnoxious than outwardly bragging in some cases—you realize this, right?”
Pc atf fcalgf tlrabgs bo atf mbcalcfca bo Hejcplcu, atf cewyfg bo meialnjabgr ktb bkcfv wbgf atjc bcf cjaji kfjqbc mbeiv yf mbecafv bc akb tjcvr. Ktbrf ktb mbeiv klfiv atfw lc qfgofma rscm mbeiv yf mbecafv bc bcf. Vegf, wjcs rajgafv boo klat j rkbgv jcv wbnfv bcab jcbatfg kfjqbc, bg wjcs kfgf rkbgvrwfc ktb jirb tjv j wjulmji jgalojma, yea atfgf kfgf ofk ktb vjgfv ab bkc akb boofcrlnf kfjqbcr jcv fnfc ofkfg ktb mbeiv klfiv atfw kfii.
“What about you? You say we’re about the same level—then, what’s your natal weapon like?”
As a weapon junkie, Gui Yin’s eyes began to glow at the start of this debate. Erlang held out his left hand and turned it palm up. Gui Yin glanced at it curiously and then back to Erlang.
“I fight with my hands.”
“Not a scimitar?”
“What makes you think I use a scimitar?”
“Last time I saw you, you were wielding a scimitar,” Gui Yin pointed out.
“Oh. That was just a sword I picked up along the way,” Erlang said carelessly. “I find weapons troublesome. It’s much easier to do hand to hand combat.”
“Spoken like a martial arts purist,” Gui Yin said, looking Erlang up and down. He clicked his tongue as he lightly tapped his chin with his folding fan. “Do you really not have a natal weapon, or are you lying again?”
“Why would I lie about something like that?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps you really feel as if you’ve shared too much information with me today, so now you’re withholding petty details,” Gui Yin said.
“Gui-xiong, you’re also withholding a lot of information from me,” Erlang said. “I would say I’ve been very generous already.”
Gui Yin raised a brow, but swallowed any words of dissent he had.
Huigu Palace’s Palace Lord was an omnipotent informant. He had eyes in every region and every faction. That’s what made some righteous sects point fingers, saying they were a devil group, while others revered and were impressed by him. Yet, even if he knew the information of the world, the world never had a speckle of information on him. Today, the Huigu Palace’s Palace Lord truly had given him a lot of face. Gui Yin might even argue that he was now the only person outside of Huigu Palace to know so much about Erlang.
“Alright, alright. Let’s count everything you’ve told me today as a return for all the times you’ve spied on me,” Gui Yin said.
Erlang chuckled. “Alright.”
The conversation died out, leaving Erlang to struggle with his disgust once more. Gui Yin looked at the pitiful man and wracked his brain for more conversation. He was generally a quiet person, only talking when he really needed to. Where was he to find more topics to contend with?
“What do you think about a container that keeps food fresh?” Gui Yin asked suddenly.
Erlang glanced at Gui Yin quizzically. He was in the middle of figuring out how to tie his sleeves up, so as not to get them anymore damaged. The question came out of left field and rendered him somewhat speechless.
“It’s a little something I’ve been working on recently,” Gui Yin lied.
It was actually something the “him” from before had written down. But the concept was very similar to a fridge in the twenty-first century. Only, because it used talismans and magic, it didn’t require anything to be cold or get cold.
“It would be a fast-selling invention.”
“It would, wouldn’t it? I just have to figure out what talismans to place on it,” Gui Yin said, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Erlang’s lips quirked as his fingertips left his rolled up sleeves. He held out his left arm. “Can you help me with this?”
Gui Yin glanced over and scoffed softly as the pair of them stopped in the middle of the tunnel. “Why can’t you do this one? Is your arm crippled?”
Erlang laughed, but did not answer the question.
Once the sleeve was tied up, the pair continued their journey again.
When demonic energy becomes a certain density, creatures of the opposite composition will perceive it with their senses. Spiritual animals or demons will be able to see demonic energy in the form of colored fog or certain particles. Spiritual cultivators, however, perceive the presence of demonic energy in smell, while stronger instances presented themselves in colored fog.
Erlang’s face scrunched up horrendously as he held a hand over his nose. “Just what is this place?”
“Odd monsters that we’ve never seen before and now plants drenched in demonic energy,” Gui Yin mumbled. He glanced at the vines, dripping with odd liquid. “It’s almost like this place has its own ecosystem.”
Erlang glanced at Gui Yin. “Ecosystem?”
Gui Yin met Erlang’s gaze and awkwardly coughed.
“What I mean is, this cave is in its own little bubble. Things that grow here and live here might not be able to survive up above unless they were raised under special conditions that mimicked the ones down here,” Gui Yin explained.
Erlang let out a low hum. He fell into his own thoughts until they were met with a split road again.
“Do I choose again?”
Erlang shook his head. He pointed to the right. “We have to go this way.”
“Why’s that?” Gui Yin asked. He didn’t really care about things like luck, but he was curious about Erlang’s reasoning.
“It smells like rotting flesh over here,” Erlang said.
Without another word, he headed for the right tunnel. Gui Yin glanced to the one on the left and wordlessly followed Erlang. However, in his heart, he was thinking “But this entire place smells like rotting flesh”.
Gui Yin followed behind Erlang curiously. The confidence with which the man held himself was still a sight to behold, even after their many hours together. His eyes grazed past Erlang’s shoulder and landed on the interior of the cave that opened up in front of them. As soon as they stepped in, the vines behind them curled together and sealed off their only exit.
“So, that’s where he ended up,” Gui Yin said, nervously fanning himself as he looked around. “Say, is there another exit here?”
Erlang didn’t respond. He walked over vines and decaying bones until he reached the mangled body that dangled from the ceiling. His eyes narrowed as he patted down what was exposed of the man.
“Erlang, be careful,” Gui Yin said sharply. “What if it grabs you?”
“It won’t,” Erlang said. He let out a disappointed sigh and hopped down from the arching branches. He shook his head. “The claws aren’t in there anymore.”
“But…then, does that mean there’s a third person?” Gui Yin asked.
“There isn’t.”
“How are you sure?”
Erlang glanced back at the man. “There isn’t a third person. Maybe there was, but this one fell down before his pursuer could follow.”
Gui Yin’s brows furrowed. “Are you saying the cave deliberately swallowed this guy?”
“Yes. I have a theory,” Erlang said. He turned back to Gui Yin. “Remember when you said this place has its own ecosystem?”
“Yes.”
“I think there’s something else special about it,” Erlang said. “This place also has a mind of its own.”
Gui Yin fell silent. “What you’re implying is that…this place isn’t just a separate realm, but it’s its own entity.”
“Yes.”
“Well, of course. There was that closing hallway and the odd tunnels,” Gui Yin said.
Erlang shook his head. “I don’t just mean that it’s a moving labyrinth. I mean its sentient.”
“…What?”
“It’s a demon,” Erlang said. “Haven’t you sensed it? Aside from the creatures here, don’t you feel something more? Something all-encompassing?”
Gui Yin silently digested the information. “Then, that person didn’t fall down here by accident—is what you’re saying.”
“Exactly.”
“This labyrinth wanted him to fall down because it sensed the claws,” Gui Yin said.
“Yes.”
“And we…”
“Aren’t here by accident either.”
“I would be offended if we were,” Gui Yin said. He appeared quite arrogant as he said: “We’re two of the most powerful people on this continent. If the labyrinth chose just those lousy claws over us, I would be—”
“Look out!”
Gui Yin slashed Fenghua through the air, successfully severing the slimy vine before it could touch him. Erlang and Gui Yin immediately fell into formation, their backs together, as the vines and branches began to curl and show their sentience.
“What if we separate here?” Erlang asked.
It wasn’t fear that prompted the question, but one that demanded a plan.
“I’ll find you,” Gui Yin said. He felt Erlang’s doubt and clicked his tongue. “Can I be honest? The Stygian Claws are much more important right now. Before, we could just say that we can leave them in this desolate cave, but if this labyrinth is actively sapping its Qi to become a full demon, then we have more problems on our hands than two petty human lives.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Erlang said. He flicked his sleeve. Another vine fell to the floor with a loud slap. “I treasure my own life quite a lot.”
“So do I. So, you find the Heavenly Weapon and I will follow behind you.”
Gui Yin heard Erlang’s long sigh, laced with the same arrogance and languidness that appeared during their first meeting. He heard several thick vines collapse to the floor.
“Very well,” Erlang said. “Look at me for a second.”
Gui Yin looked over his shoulder. His brows furrowed tightly as he was about to ask what else he could possibly want. His eyes widened as he felt an object press itself to his lips. Between the sudden pressure and the interruption of his words, Gui Yin ended up opening his mouth and swallowing a pill.
“What—what was that?!”
The ground began to rumble as vines of varying thickness shot out. A slim vine wrapped itself around Gui Yin’s ankles, abruptly yanking his feet from under him. A sharp breath was knocked out of him as his back slammed onto the ground. He heard a light chuckle in his ear, as if the other person was still right beside him.
“Protection. It’ll help me find you if you get lost.”
“That—”
The rest of the sentence died in Gui Yin’s throat. He twisted himself to look back, but all that was there was a wall of vines and a faint glow of what Gui Yin assumed to be Erlang’s spiritual energy. He clicked his tongue in frustration, released a sigh and flicked his wrist.
Spiritual energy condensed around Fenghua, neatly severing the vines from his ankles. He only had time to adjust his position before more vines latched onto him. He sighed in irritation again as he was dragged from the ground and pulled towards the ceiling. Fenghua was still clutched tightly in his hand, but it would be useless if the vines continued to come in droves. Not to mention, they were no longer shy. Instead of a few around his ankles and wrists, they were beginning to cover his neck and waist. The sticky feeling was uncomfortable, but the feeling of asphyxiation that was beginning to take place was even more uncomfortable.
“Shui…Shui Meng!”
Gui Yin struggled to get the name out. His vision was blurring as face moved closer and closer to the wriggling vines. He felt something cold at his fingertips. He struggled to control his limbs. He drew his fingers back and flicked.
The sound of the guqin resonated throughout the cavern. The vines loosened their grips, writhing in pain as the sound continued, escalating in volume. Gui Yin quickly twirled his fan, using the wind to cushion his fall. He caught Shui Meng in midair and sandwiched Fenghua between his teeth, as a rapid tune emerged in the air.
The vibrations in the air caused the vines to wither, allowing a hole for Gui Yin to escape through. He could feel the cave rapidly changing around him, as if it were catering to his unexpected movements. Gui Yin looked back, but the way back to the cavern full of vines had already long disappeared. He frowned but continued forward. It would be better to get away from the vines first or else he would become fertilizer. He could worry about Erlang later.
After leaving the room of vines, Gui Yin found himself in even worse parts of the cave. It felt like he had broken through the surface of the cave and had delved further underground. Now, he was surrounded by a muggy heat, with the ground squelching disgustingly under his feet.
Gui Yin huffed and blew a lock of hair from his face. He awkwardly tugged his robes back together. They had been ripped in the struggle with the vines. Although it wasn’t to the point of revealing and insulting, it was rather inconvenient.
For a moment, Gui Yin debated stopping. If Erlang really gave him a pill that would allow him to track Gui Yin down later, what was the point of trying to get out? He could save himself some effort and sit down and rest and wait for the man to come.
Though he entertained this thought, his feet continued to carry him until he was guided down another hallway.
Gui Yin’s pace slowed as the area opened up in front of him. A light scoff left his lips. He looked down at his fitted pants and turned his arm as he examined his beige cardigan.
As he heard the call of a familiar colleague, Gui Yin couldn’t help but sigh. Even if it was an illusion, he really didn’t want to return to the twenty-first century!
Thank you for the chapter !!
THANK for the R E A D
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
THANKS FOR the READ 😤
gasp, don’t separate them!! they’re already a package deal in my heart- gaaaasp waitwaitwait if the pill lets Erlang track Gui Yin… and he is in Modern World (illusion flavor)…. would Erlang possibly enter the illusion? …oh that wouldn’t be so bad. however which way, i am ver excited to see what is in store for Gui Yin this next chapter!
thanks for reaaddd
Ooooooooh. Don’t go back now! Ty for the chapters! I’m caught up! 🤣❤️
YOOOOO thanks for reading uwu lmao poor man’s traumatized by his 9-5, he doesn’t even wanna dream about it 😔
Author sama is sus tryna not reply to theories
SDKFASDFK d o n ‘ t call me out 😭😭 thanks for READING
This is amazing! I love the little awkward interactions they have hehe