Chapter 10: Beneath The Nine-story Ship Tower
The deck area of the Bronze Ship was very long.
The two followed the gunwale, walking nearly a kilometer in the Nether Mist, before the Golden Crow Corpse gradually came into clear view.
One of the corpse’s wings covered the Stele Forest in the deck area, while the other draped over the nine-story Ship Tower. Even giant beasts like the Nine Infants seemed somewhat petite in comparison.
It had been dead here for an unknown number of years, but the corpse was not cold; it gleamed golden with flowing firelight.
Even from a hundred meters away, waves of heat could be felt surging from the direction of the corpse.
Every feather on the Golden Crow Corpse was dozens of times larger than an adult’s body, shimmering with radiant colors, exceedingly beautiful. It was unimaginable how brilliant it must have been when alive.
Could it truly transform into the sun patrolling the heavens and earth, as in the mythological legends?
The fatal wound on its body was on the head, pierced through by an unknown sharp weapon, forming a terrifying three-meter-long blood hole.
The Golden Crow Blood used for planting was drawn from a blood pool over twenty meters in diameter below the blood hole. When freshly drawn, the blood in the barrel was nearly boiling hot and required special treatment to cool.
Li Weiyi stood by the blood pool observing; the Golden Crow’s blood was bright red with a faint golden glow.
The blood scent was very strong but not pungent.
Instead, there was a tantalizing aroma of vitality that stimulated the appetite.
If not for the Golden Crow’s notorious reputation as the “bird of destruction” inspiring awe, the Scientific Expedition Team Members would have long since drunk it without restraint.
“No wonder they all want to gulp it down. Drinking Golden Crow Blood must be as fresh and savory as eating roasted meat. And there’s even the possibility of immortality—it’s truly maddening.”
Gao Huan couldn’t help swallowing saliva, then added: “If this were on Earth, a single drop of Golden Crow Blood appearing would make all the tycoons throw millions at it, but here we have a whole pool. Hurry up and use your honey trap on Doctor Cai. Doesn’t our university have that saying: for a junior to win a senior student’s love, either be rich or handsome.”
“All you spout are catchy phrases. Are you thinking of… taking the doctoral exam?” Li Weiyi laughed.
Perhaps because he had just cultivated something supernatural, his body urgently needed high-grade nutrients, the hunger he felt was even stronger than Gao Huan’s.
Even the scalding hot qi flow in the sole of his right foot surged out uncontrollably, flowing through the thirteen veins, as if urging him to drink the Golden Crow Blood quickly.
“The greater the temptation, the greater the danger.”
Li Weiyi suppressed the scalding hot qi flow in his body and quickly left the blood pool.
…
On the other side, the Black Flood Dragon had been severed into two sections by a sharp weapon, its corpse extremely robust, towering over Li Weiyi’s body.
Its scales were like thick iron sheets the size of palm-leaf fans, emanating cold air.
At the severed part of the flood dragon’s body, the blood had congealed into purple-red Ice Crystals, which needed to be chipped off with an axe and then heated to melt.
Near the Black Flood Dragon Corpse lay many white bone humans in armor, scattered haphazardly.
The six from Laboratory 705 were gathered around one particularly special white bone human, studying it, sketching structural diagrams, and recording the inscriptions and patterns on the armor.
This white bone human was special because its skull emitted a faint glow like night-luminescent stone, fully metallized, very smooth to the touch, and sounded like striking an Iron Block when tapped.
Hearing footsteps, the six from Laboratory 705 all turned sharply toward Li Weiyi and Gao Huan.
Gao Huan, ever the social butterfly, smiled and asked: “Director Yang, any discoveries?”
Among the six, the burly man holding the shotgun, with an inch-cut hairstyle and nearly two meters tall, tightened his grip, his eyes quite vigilant. Seeing it was just two patients out for a stroll, he relaxed slightly.
Clearly, all sides had sensed the off atmosphere on the Bronze Ship and no longer trusted each other as before.
Director Yang was still amiable and smiled: “Those dead on the Bronze Ship are clearly no ordinary living beings; science can’t explain it. These human bones on the ground have armor weighing at least a thousand jin each—we six together couldn’t budge them.”
“Their weapons are also very heavy. The lightest spear required two people to barely lift it; its density is immense, unknown what material it is.”
Li Weiyi really wanted to try picking up that ten-foot-long Ancient Spear on the ground, but after touching it with his fingers, he gave up the idea and asked: “How did they die? It’s too strange—who killed them?”
“Could there be some unknown danger on this Bronze Ship?” Gao Huan said.
Director Yang said: “We’ve observed this Bronze Ship with microscopes for years, and our conclusion is that the Golden Crow, Black Flood Dragon, and these armored humans are all intruders, likely here to seek treasure, explore, or claim it. There must be some dangerous power on the ship that we can’t comprehend!”
Gao Huan asked curiously: “Aren’t we intruders too? Why haven’t we been killed?”
The six from Laboratory 705 all looked grim.
Not being killed now didn’t mean they wouldn’t be later.
Li Weiyi guessed: “Perhaps we’re too weak, or we haven’t violated some taboo, so the danger hasn’t come yet.”
Director Yang clearly hoped this was the case. Suddenly thinking of something, he pointed ahead: “See that nine-story-high Ship Tower? Pass through the narrow passage between the Ship Tower and the gunwale railing, and you’ll reach the stern, where there’s an ancient-style Garden with pavilions, Palace Halls, tall towers, connecting corridors… it should be where the ship owner lived.”
Gao Huan said: “Does the Director think they were killed by the ship owner?”
“It can only be said this is a guess with very high possibility,” Director Yang said.
Li Weiyi looked toward the Ship Tower; it was extremely grand, each floor three or four zhang high, entirely deep red under the glow from the Golden Crow Corpse.
Strangely, along the railings outside each floor of the Ship Tower were placed numerous humanoid Stone Figurines.
Cabin doors were all sealed shut, unknown what universes lay within.
Stele Forest, tomb clusters, Ghost Flags, stone figurines…
How was this like a normal ship?
Gao Huan said: “They’ve been dead at least one thousand years, possibly longer. Even if it was the Bronze Ship owner who killed them, that owner must have long passed away.”
Director Yang laughed: “Exactly. A being capable of slaying the Golden Crow and Black Flood Dragon—if still alive, how could it let the Bronze Ship run aground on the Buddha’s Sarira for over one thousand years?”
“But Director, the Bronze Ship has set sail again now!” a bespectacled middle-aged woman from Laboratory 705 reminded.
After bidding farewell to the group from Laboratory 705, Li Weiyi headed toward the Nine-story Ship Tower.
Without getting close, from a dozen meters away, he looked toward the narrow passage leading to the stern.
The passage was filled with Nether Mist, crowded with stone figurines in various expressions and poses. A timid person would have long been terrified and fled.
The passage was very dim; the stern could not be seen.
“The immortal radiance I saw should have come from that ancient-style Garden Director Yang mentioned. What kind of place is it exactly?” Li Weiyi’s curiosity was piqued, but he instinctively felt something was off.
Gao Huan followed, excitedly saying: “The Bronze Ship owner was absolutely extraordinary. His dwelling might have some elixirs or divine medicines. Li Zi, shall we two sneak over to check it out?”
Li Weiyi noticed something, took two steps forward, then squatted down.
There was a patch of dried black bloodstains on the ground.
He reached out, rubbed his finger in the bloodstains, and sniffed it closely at his nose.
Li Weiyi suddenly looked up, gazing at the deep passage ahead with utmost vigilance and gravity, asking: “After we crashed onto the Bronze Ship, have we seen that bear-like creature?”
“You mean the Ghost Bear Emperor? Why ask this suddenly?” Gao Huan said.
Li Weiyi said: “The entire Scientific Expedition Team, including the Long Ji Hao, all crashed onto the Bronze Ship. How could the bear-like creature… the Ghost Bear Emperor you mentioned, be an exception?”
“That’s true, it’s a bit strange… But if it crashed onto the ship, it’s been five days—how could it not have come out to hunt?” Gao Huan said.
“It might be on the ship.”
Li Weiyi pointed to the dried black bloodstains on the ground: “This is its blood! It must be badly injured, so it’s hiding for now.”
“How do you know this is its bloodstains?”
Gao Huan was both curious and doubtful, starting to panic a bit.
Li Weiyi didn’t know how to explain, because after cultivating something supernatural, his sense of smell had greatly sharpened, allowing him to identify the Ghost Bear Emperor’s blood aura.
From afar, a familiar voice called: “Are you two seeking death? What are you doing running here?”
“Doctor Qi, we’re just taking a stroll… heh heh.”
Gao Huan quickly offered a placating smile.
“Is this a place for strolling? One with a severed right arm, one with a left shoulder injury—you two are crippled. Get back to the medical tent now.” Qi Shanshan scolded coldly in her delicate voice.
Li Weiyi had already heard Qi Shanshan’s footsteps, so he wasn’t startled at all. He stood up and smiled along: “Director Yang said there’s an ancient-style Garden at the stern. We were just discussing if there might be elixirs or divine medicines there. Maybe eat one and all injuries heal!”
Qi Shanshan was a woman who cared extremely about her appearance; even in such an environment, her face bore exquisite makeup, her skin snow-white and translucent, cheeks pink and lips red. Her white physician outfit was spotless, and she even wore high heels with flesh-colored stockings matching her skin.
Over 7 meters tall, with a slender waist and superior chest and hip curves, the third and fourth buttons of her light blue inner shirt were strained tight. In short, extremely feminine.
Thus, even her cold scolding sounded beautiful and magnetic, without the aggressive pressure of Cai Yutong’s.
Qi Shanshan furrowed her delicate brows: “Didn’t he tell you it’s very dangerous there? Already four Scientific Expedition Team Members have gone to explore, but after entering the Ship Tower Passage, none have returned.”
Li Weiyi and Gao Huan exchanged a glance, dumbstruck.
That Director Yang looked kind and friendly, who would have thought he was such an old schemer?
If Li Weiyi hadn’t discovered the Ghost Bear Emperor’s bloodstains on the ground, if Doctor Qi hadn’t come looking for them just then, they two might have followed in the footsteps of those four Scientific Expedition Team Members.
Qi Shanshan’s ample chest heaved dramatically; she was so angry she clutched her forehead: “You two really are kids who haven’t left campus, too naive! Li Weiyi, don’t you know everyone suspects the Buddha’s Sarira is on you? Director Yang values the sarira more than his own life—he definitely wanted to use this chance to probe.”
Gao Huan distanced himself from Li Weiyi like avoiding the plague god: “Li Zi, I nearly got implicated by you and died unjustly.”
Qi Shanshan glared at him: “You deserve to die! Li Weiyi is just a freshman with no social experience—it’s forgivable to be duped. You’re a third-year grad student—don’t you have any vigilance? If it were really something good, would others kindly tell you?”
Gao Huan wasn’t angry at all; he seemed happy to be scolded by Qi Shanshan. Suddenly, like offering a treasure, he laughed: “Doctor Qi, we have a big discovery! This patch of dried bloodstains is suspected to be left by the Ghost Bear Emperor.”
Qi Shanshan rolled her eyes: “This bloodstains were discovered the day before yesterday and tested—it’s from that bear-like creature. The four Scientific Expedition Team Members who entered the Nine-story Ship Tower Passage to investigate were probably eaten by it. Hurry and leave; no one knows when that bear-like creature’s injuries will heal. Once it comes out, with our scant remaining ammo… sigh, everything is up to fate!”
Li Weiyi was also very worried.
The Ghost Bear Emperor was very likely a supernatural creature too, hence its terrifying speed and physique; its self-healing ability shouldn’t be slower than his.
It had three more days of recovery than Li Weiyi; even if more severely injured, it was probably mostly healed by now.
Li Weiyi and Gao Huan hurriedly followed Qi Shanshan back, just wanting to get away from the Nine-story Ship Tower quickly.
Qi Shanshan’s legs were long and slender; her high heels clicked rhythmically as she walked.
Li Weiyi asked: “Since it’s confirmed to be it, why not gather all guns, ammo, and weapons, and eliminate it while its injuries haven’t healed?”
“That bear-like creature is so formidable—even when out in the open with ample ammo, we couldn’t deal with it. Now it’s hidden in the shadows, even harder. That’s first!”
Qi Shanshan’s eyes turned cold and sharp, continuing: “Second, everyone knows facing it is nine deaths to one life—who dares go?”
“Third, there are only three guns on the ship, and ammo is limited. Everyone sees them as tools to maintain their status and power. Without weapons, who would respect them?”
“If we’re to die, everyone dies together.”
“But losing status and power is worse than death.”
“In short, hearts aren’t aligned, everyone has their own schemes—nothing gets done.”
…
Seeking monthly tickets, seeking monthly tickets.
