The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang

Chapter 20

"Ice Harp String Blood!" came the leader's voice from behind.

"Ice Harp String Blood?" That's a strange name. Just as I was about to ask the boss what "Ice Harp String Blood" meant, I saw him collapse, completely exhausted. I panicked and quickly asked, "Boss! Are you alright?"

My question snapped Meng Nan, Shan Ji, and Bai Shi Tou out of their daze, all turning their attention to me. Lian remained standing there solemnly, while Princess Jenny clasped her hands together, chanting incantations as if casting some kind of spell. Her two bodyguards formed a triangle with her, kneeling in a half-kneeling position. What were they doing? I wanted to ask the boss, but he waved his hand at us, signaling us to be quiet. It seemed everyone was giving it their all in this decisive battle.

I changed the magazine in my gun and held it up above my head, waving it at Meng Nan, Shan Ji, and Bai Shi Tong. They knew what I was talking about, so they changed their magazines and waved their guns too. This time everyone was ready, just waiting to see how things would turn out.

The pale red arc-shaped protective shield had long since disappeared with the fall of the leader. The crimson light that Ghost Dance shot from his eyes was completely blocked by the ice and snow, and quickly condensed, forming a giant beam that stretched across the sky between us and the Ghost Mist.

The icicles were about to freeze into the ghostly mist, and I kept shouting in my heart: Lucy, hurry up and freeze this old monster to death.

Just as I was secretly pleased, I suddenly heard a crisp "clang." My heart was jolted by the sudden, chaotic notes, and my chest tightened. What was that sound? Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw that Lucy's violin had a broken string. Was that the sound of a broken string? I was horrified. Before I could react, two more "clangs" of broken strings followed, so loud that I fell onto the pterosaur, my body convulsing. "Lucy, what are you doing?" I asked, opening my mouth, but I couldn't utter a word.

This feeling of discomfort is indescribable. I wanted to signal the leader, but my hands wouldn't move and felt numb and weak. I turned my head to look at everyone and was shocked. Meng Nan, Bai Shi Tong, and Shan Ji were all in the same situation as me. This is terrible. Gui Wu is not dead. If this continues, we will die first.

Lucy didn't open her eyes, seemingly oblivious to the sound of the broken string, and continued playing the Ice String Blood. I could vaguely see blood dripping from Lucy's fingers. What was going on? Ice String Blood—was she playing it with her own blood? This…wasn't this self-harm? I wanted to shout, to scream, to do everything I could to stop it, but my whole body was numb, weak, and powerless. I couldn't even utter a sound; I could only watch helplessly as everything unfolded before my eyes.

The ghostly mist was sealed by ice and snow, like a tall ice sculpture. Its ferocious face was still clearly discernible. Lian finally made her move. She waved her sword and drew a circle in front of her, then placed the sword in the circle and hummed, "In the name of my sword contract, please grant me power, sword rain."

As soon as she finished speaking, the longsword in Lian's hand flashed with white light, rapidly expanding to form a trumpet-shaped opening facing the ghost mist, illuminating the ice-sculpted ghost mist with crystal clarity. Suddenly, the light shooting out from the longsword in Lian's hand transformed into countless small, sharp swords, rushing towards the ghost mist like a torrential rain. A series of shattering sounds rang out, and the ghost mist was pulverized by the rain of swords.

I thought to myself, "Good! Well done! Damn it! I've finally vented my anger. It's best if its soul is never reincarnated! So it won't stay in the world and harm humanity. This kind of evil spirit should never appear in the human world again..."

Before I could finish speaking, the piano music suddenly stopped. I looked at Lucy, who had opened her eyes and raised her hand to look at herself. Her face was deathly pale, devoid of any color, and she was breathing heavily, her chest heaving. I felt a pang of anxiety and called out, "Lucy, are you alright?"

Lucy smiled at me but didn't say anything. Huh! I can speak now! I felt a wave of relief wash over me, and the numbness and weakness I felt earlier were completely gone. Could it be that the incredible effect disappeared when the music stopped? Without thinking too much about it, I called out to the boss, "Boss, are you alright?"

The eldest brother stood up, smiled at me, waved his hand, and replied, "It's alright, don't worry!"

Pheasant, Macho Man, and Know-It-All also stood up, making things quite lively. They kept chattering away, when Princess Jenny suddenly shouted, "Summon the contract, ally with my heart and blood, please fulfill your promise, open the gate to another world, open!"

Princess Jenny and her two guards were connected by the light to form a triangular formation. Within the formation, there were ripples like the surface of water. A dazzling light shot out from the triangular formation, absorbing all the shattered ghost mist ice crystals into it, which vanished instantly, and then calm returned.

"Hahaha...Good! Good! Good! Ice Harp Blood String, Sword Edge Rain, and Gate to Another World—these three advanced skills were displayed to their fullest potential. Truly, the younger generation surpasses the older. At this moment, it's time for my generation to retire from the martial world." This was the first time I'd heard such praise from my boss after following him for so many years. It seemed my boss was deeply moved.

Just as everyone was about to exchange a few pleasantries, the leader suddenly stopped speaking, his expression turning extremely serious. Princess Jenny, Lucy, and Lian all sensed something at the same time. I was about to ask when the leader shouted, "Not good! Run!"

I……

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure, Chapter Twenty-Four: The Giant Python of the Azure Sky

Chapter word count: 2357 Update time: 08-03-13 17:31

The moment the leader spoke, I saw countless ice snakes leap out from the large white cloth behind us, rushing towards us in a white blur. I gasped and shouted, "Run! Snakes!"

At this moment, everyone saw it, and this was simply unbelievable. It's not strange to see dragons flying in the sky, but to see snakes crawling, no! They should be said flying, is quite intriguing.

At this moment, half of their souls had been scared away, especially the few beauties. They could still accept the demons and monsters a little, but when it came to this slippery and slender snake, they were probably so scared that their legs went weak. If they were on the ground, they would only be waiting to be slaughtered by the snake. It wouldn't be much better in the sky. Overwhelmed by tension, they sat down on the pterosaur.

The pterosaurs flew very fast, but the ice serpents in the sky were even faster. One by one, they broke free from the white mist, forming countless serpents that overwhelmed us with their overwhelming power. This time, they were even more terrifying than the ghost mist. Although the ghost mist was large, it was still just one serpent. But these ice serpents were only the size of three fingers, about two meters long, with flat and pointed triangular heads. All snakes with triangular heads were extremely venomous. If you were bitten by this ice serpent, you would die instantly from the poison attacking your heart. Its eyes also emitted a deep red light.

I felt a pang of confusion. Why did this snake also have deep red eyes? And the ghost mist just now… Could it be… could they be related? Hearing me say this, the eldest brother laughed. What kind of monsters are related? I think this is probably the incarnation of the ghost mist. Even their auras are the same.

Wasn't the Ghost Mist destroyed? How could it still be that monster? I'm completely baffled; I witnessed everything that just happened.

After the elder brother explained, it became clear that the Demon Scripture did not record any method to suppress or destroy the Ghost Mist. What had just happened was merely shattering its physical form. The Ghost Mist was a source of intense heat, and when it encountered Lucy's Ice Harp Blood, they were mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining. The restraint meant that the Ghost Mist could not move and was thus locked and frozen, allowing Lian to shatter it with a rain of swords. Although they were mutually restraining, they were also mutually reinforcing. The heat source turned into cold ice, and thus, within the ice, it gave rise to the white mist behind it. Princess Jenny's interdimensional gate only transported the physical form of the Ghost Mist to another dimension, while the Ghost Mist's soul drifted back into the white mist, where it mutated and transformed into an ice snake.

My boss's explanation gave me a headache; it was too technical. I'll have to wait until after today to ask him for advice.

The leader blew a whistle and brought all the pterosaurs under control. We couldn't let them end up like I did, almost becoming food for the ghost mist. I looked back and saw thousands upon thousands of ice snakes arching their bodies and shooting towards us like catapults. The distance was getting closer and closer, and their numbers were increasing, becoming countless.

I opened fire with my gun, managing to slow down the leading ice snake, but unexpectedly, I was smashed to pieces by the ice snakes chasing from behind. I knew that even if I used up all the bullets in my equipment pack, it would only be like scooping up a ladle of water from the ocean. "Boss, think of something quickly, they're catching up quickly." Having faced life and death several times, I felt no fear at this moment.

The eldest brother was also thinking of a solution and didn't respond to what I said. He just called out to Lucy, "Lucy, can you still play the piano?"

Lucy shook her head desperately. At this moment, she was completely weak and powerless. Terrified by the cold snakes, she closed her eyes tightly and dared not look at them. Princess Jenny and her two female guards were also completely paralyzed and powerless, just like Lucy. Fortunately, they were not afraid of snakes. Standing on the pterosaur, they wielded their swords. The powerful sword light cut through the air, creating countless gaps. But even he alone was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; he could hardly protect himself.

With the help of Chicken, Mighty Man, and Know-It-All, the three of them added firepower, which prevented the ice snakes from catching up. However, given the current situation, it was only a matter of time before the ice snakes caught up with us. Although I had already disregarded my own life, I couldn't abandon the others. So I thought of the Sword Rain attack that Lian had just used. It was extremely powerful and had a wide range. I shouted to Lian, "Lian, use that Sword Rain attack you just used. It will definitely send these ice snakes back to their hometown."

Lian didn't reply, just brandished his sword and glared at me. I was wondering if this kid was stingy and unwilling to save everyone from their predicament, or if he had other plans. I was puzzled when the leader behind me chuckled and said, "Tenglong, you've misunderstood him. What he just used was the power of the contract, summoning the master's ability. With his current cultivation level, he can only use it once, and it requires a long time to summon before use. He can't use it a second time right now."

"Then... could Princess Jenny be like him?" I asked in surprise.

The leader nodded and said, "Yes! So right now, only Lucy can use the contract. Even I almost exhausted my magic power in the battle with Ghost Mist and nearly died. The summoning of the pterosaur is being maintained by my remaining magic power, but I'm afraid it won't last long."

After hearing what the boss said, I think I understand a little. If Lucy can use the power of the contract even once, everyone might have a chance to survive. If Lucy can't overcome her fear of snakes, then everyone will be going to die.

Without further hesitation, I called out to Lucy, "Lucy, don't be afraid! Quickly pick up your violin and play a tune. Our fate depends on you."

I don't know how many times I shouted, how many encouraging words I said, until my voice was hoarse, but Lucy didn't react at all. She just kept shaking her head, covering her ears with her hands, not wanting to hear or see anything. The tough guy, the chicken, and the know-it-all stared at me every now and then, looking puzzled, and shouted at me, "Hey! Tenglong, what are you doing? Hurry up and increase the firepower, these demon snakes are about to charge!"

I was quite far from Baishitong and the others, but even though I shouted loudly, they could still hear me. By then, my voice was hoarse, and I had no strength left to answer their questions. I could only gesture at them, but after gesturing for a long time, it didn't work. They stared at me, not knowing what my gestures meant. This time, I was really discouraged. The situation was terrible, and my heart was filled with anxiety. Was there really no way out?

But then something even more dangerous and terrifying happened. The leader patted my shoulder, gesturing for me to look back. As soon as I looked, I plopped down on the pterosaur's back, exclaiming, "What...what...what is this?"

The voice was so hoarse that it felt as if a chilling coldness had seeped into my entire body. I saw my own fear. I thought that after experiencing life and death a few times, I would no longer be afraid. But now, that was the beginning of true fear. Above the tens of thousands of ice snakes, a gigantic black python was coiled. It was ridiculously large, completely exceeding the proportions of any creature in the world. Its thick body was like black lacquer with golden scales, which shone with an eerie light under the sunlight. It was coiled up, and I didn't know how long it was. Its head was arched, and a pair of green, shimmering eyes were staring at us. It would occasionally flick its long tongue out from its mouth. Its tall black shadow pressed us down into darkness, as if a giant python covering the sky and earth, and we were right next to its mouth.

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure, Chapter Twenty-Five: The Black Vein

Chapter word count: 2249 Update time: 08-03-13 17:32

Hmph! What's there to be afraid of with such a small snake!

Who? I looked around, but I didn't see anyone else besides my boss. Strange? Who was talking to me just now? Was I scared out of my wits? Is that why I'm hallucinating?

The eldest brother looked at me strangely, reached out and touched my forehead. "Hmm! You have a bit of a fever. Looks like you've been scared too much."

"Damn, boss, what do you mean?" I stood up and argued, knowing he must think I was scared. But to be honest, I was a little scared. It would be a lie to say I wasn't afraid of such a big snake.

I stepped forward and looked at the colossal python. It remained silent, staring at us. I didn't look at the boss's expression; I knew that even if the sky fell, he would still be able to laugh. I didn't have his composure. I asked immediately, "Have you thought of a solution? If this continues, we'll only be waiting to die."

"Aren't we just waiting to die? I never thought I'd get to see the sunset before I die. With such a beautiful view, it's a blessing from heaven." The eldest brother said, looking up at the sunset with his hands behind his back.

Although the words were spoken romantically, they carried a hint of sadness. I knew how the boss felt at that moment. Since we were here, we had to face it. It seemed that his life or death was in the hands of fate. I thought for a moment and said with some reluctance, "Boss, think about it again. Maybe there is still a way for everyone to escape."

The eldest brother turned to look at me, then smiled wryly and said, "Heh heh... escape from danger? If you knew what this giant python was, you probably wouldn't have such thoughts."

"Then... what is it? Isn't it just a snake? Only much bigger than other snakes." My reasoning seemed a bit far-fetched, but that was indeed my thought.

"If it were just a snake, it would be much easier to deal with; you could destroy it with the gun in your hand. But it's different from ordinary snakes. Do you know how this kind of snake is described in the Demon Scripture?"

How should it be recorded?

"According to the Demon Scripture, darkness precedes light in the world. Under the banner of the demon Satan, the Night Demon is recorded. The Night Demon manifests in three forms: Ghost Mist, Black Vein, and Moon Soul."

As I was counting them one by one, the eldest brother suddenly turned around and asked me, "Do you know what the Black Vein refers to?"

Black Vein? That's quite a unique name. I pondered it for a while, then looked at the giant python coiled in the sky. It was also black. Could the Black Vein of the Demonic Scripture that the boss was talking about be referring to this snake?

Although I wasn't sure, I still pointed to the sky and said, "Boss, the black vein you're talking about wouldn't be this, would it?"

The eldest brother nodded. This time, he didn't laugh or praise me for guessing correctly, which was different from usual. However, this was a matter of life and death, so I didn't think about it too much. I asked again, "Black Vein? What's so powerful about it? Is it like Ghost Mist, impossible to kill?"

The thought of something that can't be killed is a headache. It can resurrect without limit, so you can only choose to run away or fight to the end until you die from exhaustion. Either way, it's frustrating.

"Speaking of the Black Vein, we must start with the Night Demon. According to the Demon Scripture, the Night Demon was just one of Satan's subordinates. It represents the power of darkness. In the earliest battle between the Dragon God and Satan, the Night Demon was destroyed and its soul was suppressed by the Dragon Source Object. In order to escape divine punishment, the Night Demon used the powerful power of the Dark Source to escape. At this time, its soul had been divided into three parts, which are the Ghost Mist, the Black Vein, and the Moon Soul recorded in the Demon Scripture."

The leader paused, his gaze never leaving the colossal serpent in the sky, before continuing, "The first is the Ghost Mist, born of heaven and earth, standing in the ethereal realm between them. The second is the Black Vein, the vein of the terrain, the very foundation. The third is the Moon Soul, a constant celestial phenomenon, a vast and boundless divine form."

"We already know how powerful the Ghost Mist is. The Black Vein is right before our eyes. It's different from the Ghost Mist. The Ghost Mist is tangible but intangible, while this one is tangible and has a body covered in black armor and ghostly scales, making it impervious to blades and spears. Like a dragon, it can burrow into the sky and the earth. The Black Vein is actually formed from the dark, swirling energy of the earth's core. Over countless years, it has accumulated and broken through the earth. The Black Vein is cold-blooded and extremely bloodthirsty. Since we've encountered this thing today, hehe..."

The boss didn't finish his sentence, but even if he didn't say the rest, I knew what was going to happen. What bad luck! We just got rid of one Ghost Mist, and now this Black Vein has appeared. It's like one wave after another. Since it's impervious to swords and spears, isn't it invincible? If I could take such a Black Vein as my follower, hehe... wouldn't the Star River Continent be my for the taking!

I slapped my forehead, wondering what I was thinking. I was about to die. Since I couldn't escape this fate, why not ask more questions? Even if I ended up in hell, I might as well become an official. I looked at the giant python in the sky and said, "Boss, we've been flying for so long, but it seems to be completely still. It's as if we haven't left its side at all."

The leader gave a wry smile. "Yes! I also find it strange. I've been observing it, hoping to find some weakness, but I never expected that we would still be unable to escape its grasp."

"Boss, you said Black Vein is black, so why are its eyes green? Could that be its weakness?" At that moment, I said whatever came to mind, hoping to provide the boss with some clues. At the same time, I also felt my own insignificance and lack of power to protect myself. If I could escape today, I would definitely have absolute power in the future and would never allow the people around me to be harmed.

"No! This thing has no weakness. If I'm not mistaken, the reason the Black Vein has green eyes is because it hasn't become a Night Demon yet. If it does become a Night Demon, it's probably not as simple as just your and my problem. The entire Star River Continent could be destroyed." The eldest brother said after a moment's thought.

If that's the case, then we're all doomed to die today. I ignored Chicken, Manly Man, and Know-It-All shouting and tried my best to help the boss, because he is the strongest among us. It was our loss that we didn't know before. We never thought that he would be buried on the treasure of the Heavenly Dragon so soon after he appeared. We haven't even had a chance to live a good life yet.

Suddenly, something occurred to me. The boss had just said that if Lucy used the name of the contract, there might still be a sliver of hope. I quickly said, "Can Lucy's harp restrain this black vein? Although it is covered in black ghost armor, it should still have ears, right?" At this point, I remembered what the pheasant had said about the crows being disturbed by the sound of the harp and killing each other.

The eldest brother looked up and sighed, "That's all we can do. Let's try anything, even if it's a hopeless situation!"

Just then, the black pulse stirred...

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure - Chapter Twenty-Six: The Demon-Suppressing Talisman

Chapter word count: 2411 Update time: 08-03-13 17:32

As soon as the dark veins stirred, the weather changed drastically, and the entire sky gradually darkened.

A fierce wind swept through, and I almost lost my balance. As soon as I lay down, I clung tightly to the pterosaur. Sensing something was wrong, I shouted, "Boss, the Black Vein is about to make its move! What do we do?"

The eldest brother didn't reply. He just kept laughing loudly, and the laughter sounded terrifying. I was startled: Could the eldest brother be possessed?

Without saying a word, I quickly pulled out the demon-suppressing talisman from my pocket. At that moment, I didn't care whether it would work or not. After all, it was a cheap item I bought on the black market before, which I had kept by my side without ever using it. I never thought that I would use it to suppress the boss instead of exorcising evil spirits. All I could say was: Boss! I'm sorry.

Before I could scramble forward, the boss suddenly turned around and looked at the demon-suppressing talisman in my hand, a sinister smile on his face. "Tenglong, what do you want to do?"

"I...I didn't mean to do anything." I was a little incoherent. Suddenly, at that moment, a bolt of lightning struck down with a loud "boom." In the blinding light of the lightning, I saw an extremely terrifying face. I gasped for breath with my mouth open. Boss was indeed possessed. Just as the light was about to disappear, I saw a figure float out of Boss's body.

Is it a soul?

My mind raced, and I cursed inwardly: Damn it! How dare they plot against our boss! I knew that once a person's soul leaves the body, they are like a mindless walking corpse. Although I had never seen it happen, I had heard plenty of such strange tales over the years of tomb raiding.

In a flash, there was no time to lose. Without hesitation, I rushed forward and slammed the demon-suppressing talisman in my hand into the boss's chest. There was no movement; time seemed to stand still. Nothing happened. Huh! Why isn't there any reaction? Could it be that the demon-suppressing talisman has expired and is no longer effective, or did this shady merchant sell me a fake? Damn it! This joke has gone too far.

Just as I was wondering what was going on, my hand never left the boss's chest, pressing down firmly on the demon-suppressing talisman. I suddenly looked up at the boss, and our faces were now almost touching. The boss was staring down at me, his eyes a ghostly green, like two balls of fire about to burst out. His face began to twist from terror, revealing sharp teeth. I felt a chill on my neck; it was the cold breath coming from the boss's nostrils. Just as I was surprised, the boss suddenly opened his mouth and bit my neck. At this moment, I was completely disoriented and instinctively pulled my hand back and jumped backward.

That leap saved my life. If it had been a little later, I probably would have had several large holes bitten into my neck by those sharp teeth, blood would have gushed out, and my neck would have been bitten off. I really don't know what kind of evil thing was on my body? It was so powerful!

Before I could think any further, the boss lunged at me to bite me. Suddenly, he let out a heart-wrenching scream. The demon-suppressing talisman on his chest hadn't come off; it was firmly imprinted, emitting a blue light that grew stronger and stronger. The boss's screams grew louder and louder. Chicken, Mighty Man, and Know-It-All kept calling my name. They must be asking me what had happened. At that moment, I had already collapsed onto my backside, trembling all over from fear. I had no mind to answer their questions.

The leader was baring his teeth and brandishing his claws, looking like a complete madman. His pitiful cries were louder than a human's. Princess Jenny and Lucy were both awakened by the shrill cries and were looking at the scene in front of them in astonishment. When the pheasant, the tough guy, and the know-it-all saw that I didn't respond, they were extremely anxious and had no mind to deal with the ice snakes that were chasing them. They wanted to fly towards me on their pterosaurs.

Princess Jenny stopped them, saying, "Don't go over there. Instructor Henry has been bewitched by the Black Vein and is now possessed. Going over there will only be a pointless death for you."

Upon hearing that it was possession, the know-it-all trembled all over and asked Princess Jenny incoherently, "Possessed...possessed? Then...what...should we...do?"

The muscular man gripped his gun tightly, completely at a loss. What should he do? Should he really fire on his boss?

Pheasant stomped his feet in frustration, urging Princess Jenny to come up with a solution quickly. Lucy frowned beside her, while Lian acted as if nothing had happened, wielding her sword to slay the ice snakes that were chasing after her.

Princess Jenny looked at everyone and sighed inwardly: "Back in the day, Instructor Henry was a very famous and influential figure. How did he manage to bring out these lackeys after disappearing for so many years? They're all good-for-nothings. I really don't understand."

Despite thinking this, Princess Jenny calmly said, "Don't worry! Although Instructor Henry has been under a spell, he has been subdued by the Demon-Suppressing Talisman and will be back to normal in no time."

The boss's screams threw everyone into a panic, especially me. Being so close, I felt terrible. Seeing my closest person suffer like this was like a knife twisting in my heart. If I had the power, the boss wouldn't have ended up like this!

The muscular man couldn't stand it any longer and, fearing something might go wrong, said to Princess Jenny, "Won't something go wrong? Why is the boss so frantic and losing his temper?"

Princess Jenny said, "Anyone who is under the influence of evil magic will develop a repulsion towards divine artifacts or objects used to suppress evil. The deeper the evil magic, the stronger the suppressing artifact needs to be. If it were ordinary ghost magic, they would probably have been annihilated by the demon-suppressing talisman. Besides, Instructor Henry has the name of the contract, so ordinary ghost magic cannot affect him. This black vein is the ancient black light, one of the incarnations of the Night Demon. Although it has undergone the evolution of the times and environmental factors, its power has been greatly reduced. If I am not mistaken, the black vein's current power is probably less than one percent of its original power."

"One percent? Then let's hurry up and take it down." The muscular man had already pulled back the bolt, ready to aim at the black vein in the sky and fire a burst of bullets.