Chapter 63: Snake Den

  "Qin's flames!"

  A shrill cry suddenly rang out, and in the midst of the swirling yellow sand, Qin Zhiyan abruptly lifted his head, only to see Qing Xia grasping a dagger with one hand, inserted into the wall seam on the side of the whirlpool, staring at him with wide eyes, her eyebrows tightly furrowed, shouting loudly.

  A golden light fell between the two of them, and Qin Zhiyan, wearing a blue robe, suddenly disappeared from in front of Qing Xia.

  It turned out she was fine.

  His heart calmed down instantly, Qin Zhiyan's face was pale, his eyes were bright and warm, he tilted his head, looking at the increasingly distant elegant figure, a faint smile on the corner of his mouth.

  "Qin's Inferno!" Qing Xia was shocked and pale, suddenly one foot fiercely kicked against the side wall of the whirlpool, jumping down towards the huge black hole below with a loud crash!

  In the blink of an eye, with a sudden burst of strength, Qing Xia arrived first, grabbing Qin Zhiyan's wrist with one hand and inserting the other hand from behind his neck into the swirling vortex.

  A burst of bright sparks exploded, and Qing Xia and Qin Zhiyan's bodies jerked to a stop before fiercely slashing downwards. The sharp dagger was lodged in the gap between the wall and the floor, cutting out a long gash on the smooth wall surface. As they slowed down, there was finally a loud "thud" as their speed suddenly came to a halt. The two of them froze, Qing Xia's one hand tightly gripping the dagger, the other hand tightly grasping Qin Zhiyan's wrist, suspended in mid-air.

  "Yima, how are you?" Qin Zhiyan furrowed his brow and looked up at Qing Xia above him. Her face was pale, her hand grasping the dagger was a bloody mess, but her other hand still tightly gripped her own wrist.

  "Qin's flame, throw a firestone down and see what the situation is below." Qing Xia's face was pale, but her voice still had a hint of calmness.

  Qin's flame used another hand to grope for the flint at his waist, and after striking a fire with difficulty, he threw it down towards the dark hole.

  A faint candle flame briefly illuminated the dark abyss below, but as they looked down, their faces turned pale again. Qin Zhiyan was standing more than 30 meters underground, surrounded by countless snakes with their necks raised, begging for food. The snakes were intertwined, some as thin as a little finger, while others were as thick as a thigh, with bright colors and fierce eyes, all of them venomous. The burning flint fell into the snake pit, startling the beasts, and several giant snakes raised their heads in terror, their eyes blood-red and terrifying.

  Looking down, the countless snakes are colorful and varied, like a rolling torrent of five colors and six colors, surging and jumping at the bottom, winding and turning, terrifying and breathtaking. The waves rise layer by layer, emitting a nauseating death breath.

  Qing Xia's palms couldn't help but secrete a few fine beads of sweat, yet she grasped Qin Zhiyan's hand even more tightly.

  However, before the two of them could come to their senses, a faint sound suddenly rang out above their heads. Qing Xia and Qin Zhiyan simultaneously looked up in terror, and the rustling sound gradually came from the dagger stuck in the wall. Countless tiny dust particles fell down. Although it was so dark in the black hole, but with the weak light transmitted from above, Qing Xia could still clearly see a crack on the hilt of the dagger, which was gradually expanding, and a loose feeling was transmitted to her hand.

  Supporting the weight of two people, this lifesaving dagger will also soon be gone.

  In an instant, both of them seemed to be stunned.

  It was as if the snakes below had sensed the predicament of the two above, and suddenly they all raised their heads in unison, hissing loudly. Qing Xia's eyes widened, staring intently at the cold iron dagger that had accompanied her for a long time, her fingertips turned white, and fresh red blood flowed slowly from the arm injured by the stone, down her pale arm, dripping drop by drop.

  With a "plop", a drop of blood landed on Qin Zhiyan's forehead, and on his pale face, it looked particularly striking.

  Time seemed to have passed for so long, yet it was only a moment. Qin Zhiyan's eyes were sorrowful and calm as he looked up at the pale woman suspended in mid-air. Her eyes were frantic and disheveled, like those of a desperate beast searching around wildly, but in this dark abyss, who would reach out to help her? Fresh red blood flowed from her snowy white arm, dripping onto her forehead, her hand tightly clasped with Qin Zhiyan's, as if they had been born together. The pale fingertips were tightly locked onto the other person's skin, leaving a bright red mark that stood out starkly.

  With a loud crash, a small boulder burst out of the crevice where the dagger was tightly inserted and fell into the snake pit, kicking up a large amount of dust.

  "Yima'er," Qin Zhiyan's voice echoed with a rich resonance: "Can't see you off in person."

  The man's smile was distant and indifferent, as if it had come from another world: "Keep walking north, pass through the Qingmu Temple, and you can find the main hall. From the main hall, go out along the path, there are thirteen checkpoints along the way. You must get out alive, and then go out and have a good meal."

  "Qin Zhiyan....." Qing Xia's voice trembled, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Qin Zhiyan's fingers one by one loosening, shaking her head in unbelievable panic and muttering: "Don't... Qin Zhiyan, don't do this... We still have to go out together, you still have to be my backing, I still have to rely on you to make a fortune, I want to settle down in Qindu... Qin Zhiyan, if you die, all my efforts will be wasted, I won't be able to save anyone, I won't have any credit... Qin Zhiyan, I don't have anywhere to live, I'm so hungry, I'm afraid of the dark... Qin Zhiyan, Qin Zhiyan, please, please don't do this..."

  A loud crash, and several rocks fell into a foul-smelling nest of snakes. Qing Xia's hand gripped Qin Zhiyan's even tighter, but fine beads of sweat seeped out slowly, her palm slipping slightly, sliding down from Qin Zhiyan's wrist to his palm, and then gradually falling further.

  "Qin Zhiyan, please...please." Qing Xia's tears finally fell in big drops, she shook her head frantically, and her voice was hoarse as she begged, each drop of tear landing on Qin Zhiyan's face.

  "Yima'er means eternal life." Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly and then slowly closed his eyes.

  Fingertips touched, a spark of electricity ran through both people's fingertips, like shooting stars that met for an instant, but it was only an instant, and after a brief warmth, the two figures parted ways, getting farther and farther apart.

  Qin's body was like a broken butterfly, plummeting into the dark abyss.

  Who is it, holding your hand in the dark?

  Who stands by your side in adversity?

  Who is it, in despair, gave up everything, alone and sank, leaving all hope of life for you?

  "Qin's flames!"

  The hoarse cry echoed in the desolate and dead black hole, from now on, there is no one who can accompany you between heaven and earth.

  Up in the blue sky and down in the yellow spring, I can no longer find that faintly colored long shirt with a pale green collar!

  "Qin's flames!" Qing Xia grasped the dagger tightly, suspended in mid-air, her clothes fluttering, her black hair flying upwards, and let out a mournful, long howl towards the sky.

  A loud thud, the sound of a body heavily crashing to the ground suddenly came, countless dust particles shot up into the air, and were lifted high. Qing Xia closed her eyes tightly, almost able to hear the sound of the venomous snakes' bones shattering as they bit into Qin Zhiyan's flesh.

  A massive dizziness attacked her mind, endless sorrow and despair surged up to her chest like a tidal wave, like a thousand-ton boulder heavily pressing on her chest, tens of millions of thorns pierced her heart at the same time, in a trance, that thin face floated before her eyes once again.

  "Don't be afraid," said the calm eyes gently looking at her, "I will definitely take you out."

  I will definitely take you out.

  "Qin Zhiyan! You scoundrel!" Qing Xia suddenly shouted loudly towards the dark depths of the cave, tears streaming down her pale face as she screamed, "You scoundrel! I won't let it end like this! I won't let it end like this!"

  An empty hand reached out to the hook lock at his waist, and with a loud crash, he threw it towards the opening above his head. With a click, he found a hold, and the rope hung straight down.

  Qing Xia's figure suddenly seemed like a nimble lynx, her legs wrapped around and entwined with the rope, her hands quickly grasping, rapidly climbing upwards.

  Her mind was a complete blank, unable to see the gold scattered all over the ground, unable to see the icy coldness filling the room, and even unable to see the raging flames everywhere. She just kept running wildly along the way she came, biting her lower lip tightly, with a blood-red eye socket. The scene of Qin Zhiyan's thin body being bitten by venomous snakes kept appearing in front of her eyes. Under the cold white bones, were those eyes as pale as distant mountains. Infinite terror, like a huge and ferocious tidal wave, swept through her entire heart.

  "We will definitely leave this place!" Qīng Xià muttered to herself, crazily repeating it over and over. She took off her outer clothes and used the wet garments to tie up a huge pillar that was wildly burning. The pillar was extremely thick, comparable to the waist of an adult man. With tears all over her face, Qīng Xià dragged the pillar and madly rushed towards the Yellow Earth Temple.

  "Boom!" A deafening crash, the heavy pillar was thrown into the deep black hole. Qing Xia wiped away her tears, hung the hook lock on the railing of the palace in the Yellow Earth Temple, then tied several hook locks together and slid down along them.

  "We will definitely leave here."

  In the pitch blackness, a pale woman whispered: "Even if it's your corpse, you have to follow me out!"

  A shrill sound swept across the sky, Qing Xia drew out a long sword from his waist and with a change in tone, he cut off a ferocious snake head. The stench of fresh blood splattered on Qing Xia's cheek, the snake's body fell to the ground, still writhing wildly despite losing its head. As soon as it landed, countless poisonous snakes rushed up frantically, Qing Xia's agile figure leaped and landed beside a blazing pillar, the snakes cowered at the fierce flames and encircled from a distance, not daring to get close.

  "Qin's flames! Qin's flames!" Qing Xia screamed in a shrill voice, her tone fragmented and sharp as a ghostly wail. But within an area of less than fifty paces, apart from the hissing calls of snakes, there was no sign of Qin's flames anywhere.

  Qing Xia's eyes swept towards the dense, countless layers of snakes, her brow furrowed, and she suddenly unleashed her divine power. She grasped one end of the corridor pillar and swung it at the giant snakes that were charging towards her.

  The venomous snake fears fire and flees in a panic.

  There is no left side, there is no right side, there is none in the corner, and there is none everywhere.

  Qing Xia ran wildly, the despair in her heart expanding exponentially. She was like a madwoman, her eyes bloodshot, only seeing a vast black hole before her, devoid of anything except venomous snakes. Where had Qin Zhiyan gone? Where were his remains?

  The cold eyes suddenly glanced at a giant green python, the python as thick as a small tree, under Qing Xia's gaze, it also trembled slightly. The prominent bulge below its huge belly was round and disproportionate to its body.

  "Was it you who ate him?" Qing Xia suddenly asked in a low, measured tone, her voice devoid of emotion, yet sounding like the vengeful spirits of hell in this environment, exuding an even more ferocious aura than these venomous snakes.

  "It was you who ate him!" The words were no longer a question, but a statement. A massive hatred suddenly surged up, and a fierce color flashed across the woman's eyes, which were as cold as ice and snow. Qing Xia suddenly opened her eyes wide, pulled out her fingernails from her bloody palm, picked up the burning pillar, and slammed it down on the giant snake.

  The other snakes fled in a chaotic tide, and the pillar happened to hit the giant python's neck. The python let out a loud hiss, its eyes turned blood red with ferocity, and its massive head suddenly opened wide, revealing a bloody mouth that snapped back towards Qing Xia. The heavy snake tail swung through the air, striking Qing Xia's back with a loud thud.

  Qing Xia's foot slipped at the moment, and a big mouthful of fresh blood gushed out from the corner of his lips. His whole body was covered with stinky fresh blood, his hair was disheveled, and his long gown was already indistinguishable in color, torn and tattered, looking like a vengeful spirit from hell, suddenly pouncing on that ferocious giant python!

  A long sword swept across, blood light shot up into the sky, and the giant snake head was suddenly chopped off.

  Blood splattered everywhere, sprinkling on Qing Xia's chest. The snake tail swept wildly in mid-air, and a massive cloud of dust rose into the air, but Qing Xia didn't care at all. With sword in hand, he leaped onto the snake's body and struck a powerful blow to the giant snake's abdomen!

  A foul smell rose to the sky, countless foul-smelling fresh blood sprayed into a huge bloody fog, Qing Xia stretched out her white hand and instantly inserted it into the disgusting snake's abdomen!

  "Qin's flames! Come out!"

  Qing Xia let out a loud roar, and with one swift motion, he pulled out a large handful of intestines. Realizing it was the wrong location, Qing Xia picked up his long sword once again, and from head to toe, he sliced the snake's abdomen in two!

  "Qin's flames! Come out!"

  No, no, still no!

  Qing Xia's voice became more and more panicked, filled with great fear and despair. In the foul-smelling esophagus, there were actually whole black-haired rats, where was Qin Zhiyan's shadow? Big tears fell down pitter-patter.

  On a cheek stained with blood, white streaks flowed out. The big fire on the pillar was about to go out, but the snakes lurking around did not dare to rush forward. They shrank back and looked at the crazy woman, not daring to make any unusual movements.

  The giant python had long been dead, Qing Xia was half-kneeling on the ground, gradually calming down. She looked at her hands stained with fresh blood, her breathing gradually becoming heavy, gradually rapid, tears falling to the ground in big drops, nowhere, nowhere, there was no sign of Qin Zhiyan anywhere. Her body and legs were all covered with internal organs and intestines dug out from the python's body, as well as nauseating undigested food. But there was not even a hint of Qin Zhiyan.

  She slowly turned her head back, seemingly numb, her voice low and hoarse, with a hint of desperate pain, looking at the restless group of snakes.

  "Is it you?" The woman's voice was very soft, as if she feared scaring someone away, yet seemed to fear getting a positive answer. Her faint voice echoed slowly in the dark snake den, her eyes shining brightly, her pale cheeks smeared with the giant snake's fresh blood, and she asked softly: "Is it you? Did you... share him?"

  It was as if they could understand her words, and the snakes suddenly let out a long hiss, collectively retreating in terror to the back.

  "Ah!" A despairing, hoarse wail erupted as Qing Xia clutched her head, kneeling on the ground, covered from head to toe in foul-smelling bloodstains, mouth agape in a heart-rending, despairing scream.

  Endless despair and suffering swept in, covering the sky and earth, and all the brilliance between heaven and earth was lost in an instant. All beliefs, all self-deceptive comforts and hopes were overturned in an instant. Her tears were like a burst dam, surging wildly on her blood-stained face, her trembling hands clutching her head, her whole body convulsing uncontrollably. Her hoarse, broken voice was like a cracked bronze drum, emitting a terrifying, heart-piercing sound.

  It turned out that fate made her reincarnate and reborn, but only to experience the hardships of those years once again.

  Actually, her power was not as strong as she had imagined. After many years of hardship and struggle, she still couldn't save the people she wanted to save.

  It turns out that the so-called life and death separation is just this meaning, going up to the blue sky and down to the yellow spring, both places are vague and invisible.

  It turns out that I still have to be alone, hiding in this dark underground tomb, waiting for death in solitude.

  What to do? Qin Zhiyan, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be trapped by the avalanche. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been injured in the Flame Temple. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have jumped into this bottomless snake pit. And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have ended up dead inside a snake's belly.

  You have died without a complete corpse, but I couldn't even keep your remains intact.

  What should I do? Qin Zhiyan, without you, I simply can't leave this vast underground imperial mausoleum. Without you, I don't have the courage to survive in this darkness.

  Qin's fire, what to do?

  "Yī mǎ ér!" The trembling voice suddenly burst out in the darkness, with great shock and unspeakable heartache.

  Like an arrow, it shot into Qing Xia's heart in an instant.

  She was as if struck by lightning, and sprang up in astonishment, but all around her was pitch dark, except for the faintly flickering flame of the corridor pillar beside her.

  "Qin's flame......" Qing Xia's voice was very small, she looked around like a blind person, whispering and probing cautiously, afraid that it was just an auditory hallucination: "Is that you? Where are you?"

  "Yima!" A warm arm suddenly wrapped around her, holding Qing Xia tightly in his embrace. His shoulders trembled with an abnormal chill, and his straight back was slightly shaking. The fragrance of agarwood wafted from his body, enveloping Qing Xia. Warm breaths sounded heavily in her ear, the man choked with sobs, repeatedly calling out Qing Xia's nickname. His slender arms tightened further, as if trying to pull Qing Xia into his body.

  "Qin Zhiyan?" Qing Xia's entire body stiffened, her eyes wide with shock, her hands hovering uncertainly in the air. She tentatively stretched out her blood-stained hands, wanting to touch Qin Zhiyan's eyebrows, his cheeks, his nose, and the corners of his mouth. But she didn't dare, merely holding out her trembling hands as if everything before her was just a moon reflected in water, liable to vanish into thin air at the slightest touch. She called out softly, her voice barely audible, "Qin Zhiyan?"

  "It's me, it's me, I'm here, I'm still alive!" Qin Zhiyan's choked voice excitedly echoed in her ear, his heart aching as he cradled Qing Xia's cheek, constantly wiping away the bloodstains on her face, allowing her eyes to gaze at him properly.

  Pale and thin cheeks, thin lips, high nose, narrow eyes...

  It was Qin Zhiyan, it really was him. Qing Xia's tears finally slowly flowed out, a big smile bloomed on her disheveled face, but with such an otherworldly beauty, she tightly pursed her lips, her nose twitching slightly as she spoke slowly: "Qin Zhiyan, I thought you were dead, I thought you were eaten by them, I thought only I was left, I thought..."

  "Fool." Qin Zhiyan's eyes reddened, and he suddenly pressed Qing Xia's head heavily against his chest. "I'm still alive, listen to it, it's still beating, I'm still alive."

  Tears gushed out, Qing Xia suddenly stretched out her blood-stained hands and tightly hugged Qin Zhiyan's waist, bursting into loud sobs.