The strange story of Huai'an Inn

"Swollen!" Zhu Helan turned around and shouted to everyone, "Get out of here!"

But I saw a layer of greasy glare surging on the originally peaceful pool water. I thought it was black because of the dim light, but it was the original color of the water.The tar-like substance writhed in a mushy form, with a translucent film floating on it.

And under that layer of film, something began to loom.It seemed to be a solidified piece of meat, and it seemed to be an undeveloped internal organ, which was pushed out and swallowed by the sticky black.One after another, the bright green eyeballs lit up one after another, like a startled will-o'-the-wisp, quickly covering the entire "lake" in a spiral shape.

In the next moment, the landslides and the ground cracked, and the terrifying roar was like thunder, shaking the entire ancient earth.Darkness rose from the abyss like a nightmare, and in an instant it surpassed the platform they were on.The splashed black mucus fell on the ground and began to gather and squirm rapidly, rushing towards the nearest person.

Some of the officers and soldiers froze in place, motionless, and were immediately caught by the aggregated black viscous oil.The dao qi that originally condensed every smallest particle in the body was quickly polluted by foul air. The bones, blood, muscles, fat, and skin could no longer distinguish each other, and they were all mixed and softened into a ball.A person is like a candle thrown into a charcoal brazier, melting rapidly from the legs, like a puddle of thick pink mucus mixed in the middle of the swollen black grease, which looks very strange and frightening.

What is even more frightening is the one after another of the tragic howls of people in the process of melting, which is probably nothing more than a burning fire.

At this moment, Master Wusheng issued an order, and many alchemists immediately stepped forward.Zhu Helan carefully and dexterously avoided all the black oil falling from the sky, picked up two officers and soldiers who were staggered and stumbled with their legs weak from fright, shouted and ordered everyone to immediately retreat to the nearest cave along the way .Everyone who had already been stunned by the evil swollen true face heard his voice, and they all followed him as if they were inexplicably drawn.

Xu Hanke was protected by Liu Sheng, and hurriedly followed into the cave.The shrieking screams of the alchemist came from outside the cave, and it sounded even more frightening in the darkness.

Zhu Helan fled to the depths of the cave without hesitation, the twilight of the luminous pearl in his hand was the only salvation for all the people who were so frightened that they almost lost their minds.The road conditions in the cave became more and more dangerous. Sometimes a bottomless gap suddenly appeared on one side, sometimes it was steep and slippery and difficult to climb, and sometimes a confusing fork appeared.Zhu Helan tried her best to judge the appropriate escape route as quickly as possible, and could only use her severely limited intuition to feel where the filth was weaker.

But the sense of impending oppression hangs over everyone's head more and more urgently, and the smell of rotting garbage is getting stronger and stronger, indicating that the swelling is catching up.

"This way! Hurry up!" Zhu Helan pointed to a narrow crack squeezed between several huge rocks stacked on top of each other, and motioned for everyone to get in. Seeing that the officers and soldiers who followed him were hesitant, his voice became more severe. "Hurry up if you want to survive! After entering, don't stop no matter what, just keep climbing forward, and don't get stuck!"

Like a group of children who lost their position, the officers and soldiers were terrified, and quickly inhaled and shrunk their stomachs, one by one trying to squeeze their bodies into the narrow, seemingly impossible gap.Liu Sheng looked at Zhu Helan suspiciously, "Aren't you leaving?"

Zhu Helan sneered, "I want to seal the entrance of the cave, if you don't believe me, you can stay here."

Liu Sheng frowned, but Xu Hanke pulled down his sleeves, motioning him not to say much, and then followed him in.Zhu Helan quickly trampled on the footprints left by the crowd, and then moved a nearby stone over. She first stuffed her body into it, and then pulled the stone over to block the gap.

The cave was too narrow to turn around, so he could only crouch and back away.The rocks oppressed him from all directions, and he couldn't even raise his head slightly.He felt as if he was lying in a coffin, buried alive thousands of feet underground.There is nowhere to escape, front, back, left, or right.

Zhu Helan's heartbeat quickened, and his breathing began to become short of breath.Darkness was no stranger to him, but he hated the squeeze.He turned into a worm in a trance, an insignificant, dirty, meaningless worm, crawling eternally in the eternal darkness.

There was a commotion in front of him, or behind him.Zhu Helan's heart sank. Once someone gets stuck in this kind of place, everyone behind that person will be buried in this narrow corridor.

What kind of long and painful death is it that one can only stare at the eternal darkness before dying?Is it easier to die like this, or to crawl back and face the swelling?

Fortunately, the team continued to move slowly.

When he finally got out of the narrow passage, he rolled down a small slope.He hadn't been in this embarrassment for many years. He had bumped into countless places and his clothes were torn.He stood up frowning and brushed the dirt off his body, and clicked his tongue angrily.

Xu Hanke's voice brought him back to reality, "Light...there is light here!"

Liu Sheng's voice said, "This is... what place?"

There was uneasiness and fear in the exclamation one after another, and someone whispered, "It's so strange here..."

"Are these buildings?"

"Is this the dungeon your lord said?"

"Why is it so big? How many stones are used for this!"

Zhu Helan raised his head, and saw an unimaginably huge building with a simple shape but with some weird angles.Gullies like dry rivers connect from every building and converge in the middle of the wide road.

He took a few steps forward, looking up at the remains of ancient civilizations that had been abandoned for thousands of years.

"This is the Xinglao clan dungeon you are looking for." Zhu Helan sighed, "It really lives up to its reputation."

A relieved smile appeared on Xu Hanke's face, which seemed unbelievable to Zhu Helan.

More than half of the people brought by him and Liu Sheng were killed or injured. Even if they got the crystal fragment, it is still unknown whether they can go out.

"Where will the crystal be hidden?" Xu Hanke's eyes shone brightly in the dim light, and the deep desire in it seemed not only for the peace of the world, as he said.

Zhu Helan stared at him, was silent for a moment, and asked, "Do you have the spell-breaking talisman in your hand?"

Xu Hanke smiled slightly, "Why, do you want to negotiate terms with me?"

"Now the life and death of Wusheng is uncertain, and you are not the controller of the ground chi, and you can no longer threaten me with Liu'er." Zhu Helan said, walking towards Xu Hanke step by step.His jade-like face seemed to be glowing in the darkness, and the intimidation reflected in the black pupils, the surrounding officers and soldiers did not dare to step forward to stop him, "If you don't have the spell-breaking talisman on you, I don't need to help you!" .If you have it, give it to me, and maybe I will show kindness and take you out."

The smile on Xu Hanke's face was a bit shaky, but he still held his own, but the pretended ambition had to be put on his embarrassed and dust-stained face, and it was full of bluff.

"I have the anti-curse talisman, but it's not on me. As long as you can lead us to find the remnant crystal and leave here safely, I will give it to you after I go out."

Zhu Helan rolled his eyes, turned around and left without saying much.

"Stop!" Liu Sheng shouted, full of energy and momentum.

However, I wish the shopkeeper would not take this set.He still has to look for Liu'er, so he has no time to waste with them.Bringing them out from Ezhong's hands is already considered as his utmost benevolence.

"Zhu Helan!"

A sword energy struck from behind, the side of the neck felt cold, and a strand of hair was cut off.

Zhu Helan stared at the lock of hair on the ground in disbelief, and for a long while... slowly turned his head little by little, staring at Liu Sheng with smoldering eyes, "How dare you break my hair?"

Liu Sheng's face was cold, and he said desperately, "If you take one more step, I will break more than your hair!" As he said, he pressed the sword edge hard on Zhu Helan's neck.

Zhu Helan stopped talking and just stared at Liu Sheng without blinking.That gaze sent Liu Sheng a chill down his spine.

How strange, the sword is clearly in his hand, what is he afraid of?

Finally, Zhu Helan snorted.Returning to the front of the team, he said as he walked, "The Star Elders have a special complex with the number five. Most of the cities they build will be in the shape of a pentagon, divided into five interconnected areas. And the most important Things, such as the source soup you are looking for, are usually arranged in the very center."

Liu Sheng followed closely behind him, still holding the sword in his hand, in case Zhu Helan made another surprising move.

A group of people shuttled through the ancient city ruins that were too large and disproportionate, and the strangely shaped buildings beside them were like huge sarcophagi, with many twisted and broken limbs imprisoned inside.

One of the officers and soldiers asked in a low voice, "If there is no one here... where does the light come from?"

Zhu Helan said, "Maybe it's the night pearl, or maybe it's some other luminous creature. The Xinglao people have some weird crafts. They like to make living things, just like we like to make dead things."

"Why do you know so well?" Xu Hanke asked curiously, "Could it be that you have really lived that long?"

Zhu Helan guessed that Wusheng probably told Xu Hanke his real age...

"If it is true, will you listen to my advice?" Zhu Helan said with a trace of mockery, "Once you mortals touch the power of Xinglao crystal, you will be defiled immediately... Speaking of which, Xu Xiansi, Is the miasma in your body okay?"

"Master Wusheng has already made it clear." Liu Sheng replied for Xu Hanke.

When Zhu Helan heard this, he laughed so hard that Liu Sheng and Xu Hanke's hearts were shaking.

"What are you laughing at?!" Liu Sheng said angrily.

"Clear..." Zhu Helan restrained her smile, and repeated those two words, "If he gave you any amulets, I advise you to burn them quickly. If you take the amulets regularly like me, I can only wish you luck Well, until the power of the amulet wears off."

"What do you mean!"

"I mean that Daoist Wusheng's mind is not right, and his spirit may have been infected." Zhu Helan paused slightly, turned his head past Liu Sheng and looked directly at Xu Hanke, "The spell he gave you will eventually make your body It self-destructs from within, and it could even explode, affecting everyone around you."

"You want to take advantage of the fact that Wu Sheng is not here to sow discord? Hmph, what a trick." Liu Sheng scolded, pointing his sword at him again.

But at this moment, Zhu Helan heard a call that he couldn't believe, almost thought it was a hallucination.

"East!!!"