Chapter 229 - Truth and Lies
Edited by RED
The bear-headed Chi had this peeve. He automatically responded to the word "Chi", thinking that others were calling for him.
Of course, this time he was ignored by Zhuque and tiger-headed Tan.
Zhuque seemed to enjoy the terrified looks on tiger-headed Tan and bear-headed Chi's faces. She extended her finger to point at Xuanwu, who seemed to be caught up in his thoughts, and said, "Aren't you afraid of being hit by Xuanwu for treating him in that manner?"
After hearing this, tiger-headed Tan lost his balance and nearly fell down.
Gods, what is going on? Troubles truly come all at once. Just Zhuque alone had left them feeling dispirited, and it turned out that even the Black Tortoise was standing here.
Two of the four Divine Beasts have come to confront us brothers. What are they trying to do? Kill every last one of us?
Tiger-headed Tan ran to Xuanwu, rubbing his hands in a grovelling manner.
"Spare me your nonsense. I'll ask you a few questions: Are there any others in this cave of yours?" Xuanwu asked the approaching tiger-headed Tan.
He immediately shook his head after hearing this, saying, "Big Brother Xuanwu, there truly isn't. Us brothers have kept ourselves to this mountain since we crossed over to this side, and this cave was our nest. How could there be any outsiders?"
"Is it alright to bring us into your cave for a walk?" Xuanwu asked again.
Tiger-headed Tan was stunned for a moment before answering hurriedly, "O-of course. Our warmest welcome to you. But our cave is simple and crude; I hope you don't mind it."
Right after tiger-headed Tan finished his words, Zhuque kicked him from behind and said, "Just lead the way. Keep your nonsense to yourself."
Xu Qi didn't know what Xuanwu was doing, but from the look on his face, it was probably some serious matter. Thus, Xu Qi didn't say a word about it.
As Xuanwu and Zhuque entered the cave, the both of them nodded to each other intently.
The Scarlet Firmament Sword shot out from its sheath, and Xuanwu also struck out several palms with both hands, aiming at the cave entrance they just came in from. The entrance instantly collapsed, sealing the way out.
However, the most eye-catching thing was the blue energy wall Xuanwu raised at the entrance, completely sealing it.
Despair could be seen in tiger-headed Tan and bear-headed Chi's eyes after witnessing this. The divine beasts were obviously trapping them, making them easy targets to pick off.
At this moment, Xuanwu suddenly spoke in the sealed entrance's direction, "You two have been following us for quite some time. Are you going to show yourselves, or should I invite you out?"
Now, not only were tiger-headed Tan and bear-headed Chi stupefied, even Xu Qi was baffled.
Following us for quite some time? Is that a joke? Why didn't I sense anything? Could it be the Shadow Wind Sect?
However, there was no reaction after a few breaths of time.
Scarlet flames surged from Zhuque's hands, quickly raising a fire wall tall enough to seal off the cave, and manipulated it towards the entrance.
As the wall of flames was about to reach the sealed entrance, there was a sudden disturbance, and two silhouettes passed through the wall and rolled to the side, revealing themselves.
"The Invisibility Art! It's the Shadow Wind Sect!" Xu Qi exclaimed at the sudden appearance of the two, immediately realizing their identities. He couldn't understand why the Shadow Wind Sect's men were everywhere he went.
The two black-clothed men ignored Xu Qi's cries and snuffed out the flames burning them, and disappeared once more.
"Hmm? You're not showing me face, are you? Isn't it just the Invisibility Art? I'll have you taste this daddy's All-Tempering Flames!" Seeing the two black-clothed men ignore him, Xu Qi immediately summoned the All-Tempering Flames, copying Zhuque's method to force them to show themselves.
"Say, madame, where are those two?" Xu Qi asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed. It couldn't be helped; he truly was unable to discern the two's auras.
Zhuque pointed at the cave entrance she just burned moments ago. Xu Qi nodded and shaped the All-Tempering Flames into a wall, moving it towards the cave entrance.
The same scenario happened as the flames reached the entrance. Two black silhouettes passed through the wall of flames and revealed themselves.
This time however, the two weren't caught in flames, but were severely wounded and fell to the ground.
One of them even spat out mouthfuls of blood.
After witnessing this, Zhuque looked intently at the All-Tempering Flames Xu Qi was manipulating and couldn't help but let out a sigh.
She turned to the tiger-headed Tan and bear-headed Chi and lashed out, "Are you done watching!? Quickly ask these two where they popped out from! If it wasn't for us being here today, you fools would have been slaughtered without knowing a thing!"
The two Elite Beasts were baffled after hearing this. What's with her? What did she mean by, "We would be slaughtered?" Us brothers might be helpless against you, but we have never been afraid of anyone except for you freaks.
There have been many who had ideas against us brothers over the years, but all of them still ended up in their bellies as food.
Even so, these two here who knew the art of invisibility were no weaklings. If it wasn't for Xuanwu's exceptional senses and observation skills, who knew how things would have ended up today?
Before tiger-headed Tan and bear-headed Chi could walk up to the two black-clothed men, their eyes suddenly went wide, their bodies straightened, and they fell backwards stiffly.
"They commited suicide!?" Xuanwu exclaimed in shock.
Right as they collapsed, their bodies emitted a mass of black fog, and their corpses melted into a pool of black water.
From beginning to end, the two never spoke a word. Their deaths were as quick and sudden as their appearance.
"They were probably on Mt Fengwen for quite some time. They started tailing us only after we arrived at the mountain's vicinity. That said, their strength was even higher than yours. Why would they forfeit their lives so easily?" Xuanwu said to Xu Qi doubtfully.
Despite that, Xu Qi's group still followed the Elite Beasts into their cave. They weren't worried about the collapsed entrance at all.
They came to a well-lit area, and were welcomed by the sudden assault of a bloody stench.
Xu Qi looked around his surroundings. It was no wonder this area was so well illuminated. The walls on all sides were embedded with numerous glowing pearls, turning it even brighter than the outside. However, the layout of the glowing pearls was a little strange.
Xu Qi felt himself kicking something and looked down. It turned out to be a pile of human bones.
He looked around his surroundings once more, and discovered that human skeletons were actually everywhere around them.
"You truly are incorrigible! You fools actually continued eating humans after arriving in this world! How could you be so disgusting!?" Zhuque scolded after seeing the mess around them.
The Elite Beasts lowered their heads, feigning terror. After all, being reprimanded was only a small matter. All was well if no martial might was involved.
Xu Qi looked around the cave, but he didn't discover anything he hoped to see.
"You're Tan, and Chi, right? I'll ask you a few questions. Think carefully before you answer me. First: Is this the burial grounds of a Saint realm expert? Second: This mountain was originally sealed, but for some reason, the seal became undone three years ago. Why was that? Third: Who sent you here?" Xu Qi asked them in one go.
Tan and Chi were unaware of Xu Qi's identity. After hearing his questions, Tan asked the Divine Beasts in a stammer, "Who is this young brother?"
"Our Young Master."
"Our Young Master."
To Xu Qi's surprise, Xuanwu and Zhuque answered in unison, acknowledging him as their Young Master.
After hearing this, tiger-headed Tan's flattering smile grew even wider and spoke about their experiences after coming to Mt Fengwen.
In the past, the Ten Elite Beasts' evil acts incurred the wrath of Goddess Nuwa and they were eventually suppressed by her.
There were deaths and injuries among them, and they were finally sealed under a mountain by her.
As recounted by Luan previously, an unknown person whose appearance couldn't be seen suddenly appeared at the mountain they were sealed under and rescued them.
When they woke up, they discovered that they were no longer in the same world.
When Tan and Chi woke up, they were already outside this cave, and the mysterious man who saved them appeared, instructing them to guard this cave. If anyone were to enter this cave, they must never let them leave alive.
The deal was, after they accomplished their mission, he would let the brothers reunite and promised them a second reward.
Just like that, Tan and Chi remained here and became sentries, while the mysterious man disappeared.
As for the question Xu Qi asked regarding three years ago, coincidentally, the mysterious man had reappeared at that time.
Listening up to this point, Xu Qi swept his gaze across this empty cave once more and asked doubtfully, "Was something kept here previously?"
"Hmm. That's right. There was something kept here. The reason that mysterious man kept us here was mainly to guard that object. However, he took it away on the day he returned here three years ago," tiger-headed Tan answered.
"What was it!?" Xu Qi hurriedly asked.
"Coffins. Eight black stone coffins," tiger-headed Tan replied.
"Coffins? What was inside them? Since that man took away what you were guarding, why were you still here?" Xu Qi shot several questions off in one go again.
Tiger-headed Tan hemmed and hawed after hearing Xu Qi's question, not answering him. It seemed like he had something to hide.
"What?! Is your skin getting itchy now!? Answer what you're asked!" Zhuque threatened from the side.
At this moment, no one noticed the silent Xuanwu had walked off to the side and squatted down, observing the ground.
Xu Qi suddenly spoke up again, "I'll be honest with you, Tan. I met Luan, and he was like you two, being told to guard some objects for that mysterious man. However, he disappeared after losing two very important objects."
Despite that, tiger-headed Tan seemed very calm after hearing that and only replied with a slight "Oh."
Xuanwu suddenly stood up in the corner and said, "I'm afraid what was hidden in the eight black stone coffins were the Eight Ancient Devils!"
"H-how did you know, Deity Xuanwu?" tiger-headed Tan asked in surprise.
Xuanwu came up to tiger-headed Tan with a slight smile and said angrily, "Tan, you're the number three of the Ten Elite Beasts from the ancient era. You shouldn't be acting so afraid after seeing Zhuque and I, whose strengths are less than half they once were.
"You didn't leave with that mysterious man three years ago. Weren't you waiting for the day we showed up here?" Xuanwu continued.