Chapter 80: The Last Peaceful Night

As I expected, the soul of this lazy turtle is much more complete than the other spirits of the great demons. I have come to this conclusion after a few days of traveling, and I have been bored and have been investigating this “irritable” lazy turtle.

How complete is it? It is even more complete than the stupid tiger that I have nourished for many years and recently fed with a lot of tonics! It has two souls and three spirits!

This shocked me, but the state of the lazy turtle also made me a little melancholy, because the young fox did not know when he had communicated with the lazy turtle. The lazy turtle discovered with grief that the words carved on its back were actually “Lazy Turtle,” so it was angry.

But I don’t know if it’s because it’s been used to the company of these four characters for such a long time that it suddenly couldn’t bear to get rid of them from its form of expression, so it was quite ‘irritable’!

The reason for my melancholy is that this lazy turtle is temporarily following me. When it gets irritated, it doesn’t know what’s wrong, and it keeps crawling up my head. Although it is a spirit, it is after all the spirit of a great demon, and everyone can see it.

It doesn’t even consider my feelings as a man! How can I have a turtle on my head?

But this was just a small episode in our journey, adding a little spice to everyone’s increasingly nervous mood. As time passed, on the fourth day of our journey, we were finally approaching the immortal’s tomb.

It was a little later than expected. After all, the location of the immortal tomb was deep in the forest, and Lao Zhang was not familiar with it. Although there were two teams of people clearing the way for us, the danger of the terrain covered in snow was not so easy to see through. We had to rely on Lao Zhang’s experience.

Even so, we were careful and slowed down, but once Qin Huai and Cheng Xin almost fell into a snowdrift. Fortunately, Lao Zhang and we, who were walking behind, reacted quickly and were able to pull them back in time.

However, no matter what, we have almost reached our destination today, but the deeper we go into the forest, the more we feel that this forest is strange. The terrain is full of strange peaks and changes, and even animals are rare. Old Zhang, an experienced hunter, went out to find food for us, but he came back empty-handed.

Fortunately, we still had some preserved food and meat that Zhang had specially preserved, so we didn’t go hungry. Zhang felt very guilty, however, because he always thought that fresh food and hot soup were what gave people strength.

He is a good man, so I have to consider Zhang’s problems.

This night should be the last peaceful night before the battle. On the map, I had seen that the last tomb of the great demon was very close to the tomb of the immortal, but based on the actual distance, I discovered that the last tomb of the great demon was actually very close to the tomb of the immortal, no more than 5 miles away.

At this distance, it is estimated that the two gangs are waiting for me there, but it is not necessarily the case. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that this is the last safe night. No one knows what will happen next or what the outcome will be.

The fire was burning fiercely. We were sitting around the fire, drinking compressed biscuits mixed with water and meat jerky. Lao Zhang was still roasting the preserved meat. I was worried and had many questions on my mind. I had no appetite. After finishing the bowl of gruel, I put down the lunch box and took out a cigarette to light it. I felt that I had to say something, even though I didn’t want to part with him.

“Lao Zhang,” I said after a moment of deliberation.

“Huh?” Zhang looked up, still with that same simple face with a slight smile, but seeing that I had put down my bowl, he said excitedly, “Gaha? Chengyi, you’re such a big guy, and lately you’ve been saying that you only eat so little?”

“Wait a minute, Zhang, I have something to say.” I said seriously.

When I said this, Zhang didn’t say anything, and everyone looked at me, waiting for my next words. I took a puff of smoke and said with some reluctance, “Zhang, we’ve been in this forest for more than half a month. Although we haven’t spent much time together, I really feel like I’ve taken you as my big brother, so I really need to make things clear to you.”

“Well, you go ahead,” said Zhang, a little uncomfortable by my serious tone. He reached for his pipe and waited for me to continue.

“Lao Zhang, after tonight, you don’t have to follow us anymore. You know, I’m not trying to hide anything from you. Along the way, you’ve also come into contact with a lot of unbelievable things. We’ve never avoided anything from you! The reason you don’t have to follow us anymore is because it’s going to be very dangerous. You know, two groups of people are after us, and as soon as we get to the Immortal’s Tomb, we’re going to fight. I’m worried that we won’t be able to take care of you. If anything happens to you, I’ll be restless for the rest of my life.” I said sincerely.

Chengxin and Ruoxue nodded in agreement, and Wu Laogui added, “That’s right, Zhang. You can’t go with us anymore.”

Old Zhang didn’t say anything, looking at me, and before I could say anything, Ru Xue also spoke up: “Qin Huai, Ru Yue, you don’t have to go with them either. Stay with Old Zhang.”

Ru Xue didn’t say anything else, because I had already given the reason, which was the same as Lao Zhang’s. Qin Huai listened without saying anything. He and I had known each other for so many years, and he knew in his heart that sometimes a cultivator’s battle, he couldn’t help, or it would become a ‘burden’.

However, I also saw a longing in Qin Huai’s eyes. Who wouldn’t want to see the Dragon’s Tomb?

Compared to Qin Huai’s calmness, Ru Yue was excited. She immediately put down her bowl and said in a hurried tone, “Sister, I have to go. You don’t think I’m a woman who can’t even defend herself, do you? I’m also a girl from the Yueyan Miao Village. My grandmother taught you, and she taught me too. I’m going.”

“Ru Yue, don’t be willful.” Ru Xue said calmly but without question.

“I am being willful. I don’t have much time left with you. You have no right to deprive me of this. I must go.” Ru Yue didn’t show the slightest sign of backing down.

Ru Xue didn’t say anything, and at this time, Qin Huai also whispered, “Chengyi, will you let me stay with Ru Yue? Don’t reject me. If you think I’m a burden, then forget it.”

“I…” I glared at Qin Huai, who was speechless.

At this time, Zhang also said, “Chengyi, I also want to go. I have walked for so long, and I want to accompany you to the end.”

I was silent, then a wave of anger suddenly rushed up, I stubbed out my cigarette and yelled, “No one is allowed to go. You think you can joke with your lives, but I won’t joke with your lives! This is final. You are going to stay here and wait for us, or leave the forest early. I don’t care. In any case, let Baihuier follow you, and there won’t be any danger! No one is allowed to go.”

I rarely lose my temper, but this time I was determined. Old Zhang was speechless. He was sensible and knew that I was doing it for his own good. Qin Huai also stopped messing around. Only Ru Yue, with her big eyes full of moisture, looked at me hatefully.

At that moment, I was a little confused. It was like I was back in the days when I was a child in the bamboo forest. She always acted like this, but this was definitely not the time for me to be softhearted. I said, “It’s useless to cry. You must be going to make trouble. I can really hit you.”

Ru Xue didn’t say anything, as if she had agreed with what I had said. Ru Yue stamped her foot and really cried, then turned and ran away. Ru Xue looked at everyone apologetically, chased after her, and I didn’t say anything. I believe that Ru Xue must also be reluctant to let Ru Yue go, and reluctant to let the village go. Let them talk more, it’s good to persuade them a little.

“It’s always sad to be separated. Old Zhang, come on, let’s have a drink. Xiao Xi, Xiao Mao, Old Wu, we all look forward to having a drink with our fellow villagers. This time, we’ll have one first. If we come back safely, we’ll come to your house as guests.” Cheng Xin suddenly took out Old Zhang’s wine bag and said happily, although the atmosphere was still a bit sad.

Old Zhang was excited, his lips trembling. He nodded eagerly, saying, “Yes, you must come back. I really look forward to having you as guests in my home. No, I’ll just wait for you here. When the time comes, ask my wife to make chicken and mushroom stew, pork and vermicelli stew, the best pancakes, and the purest sorghum wine. We’ll drink a lot!”

“Well, let’s drink a toast,” said Chengxin, speaking loudly on behalf of all of us.

It was finally dawn, and the morning began to sprinkle with snow. There were six of us, plus the team of Xiao Xi, Xiao Mao, Bai Hui, and Wu Lao Gui, but now only I, Cheng Xin Ge, and Ru Xue were left with Wu Lao Gui and Xiao Xi and Xiao Mao.

They were afraid to follow me, but no matter how I persuaded them, they were determined to stay here and wait for us to return.

The rest of the journey was not long. Old Zhang had pointed out to us that after we had crossed the small mountain range, we should be at the place marked on the map. He also told me that the place was absolutely mysterious. According to the people in the mountains, it had not been entered for thousands of years, and that was not an exaggeration.

Or maybe it’s not an exaggeration after all, the tomb of the dragon!