Wang Ya finished her fill and saw Wang Cheng’an had packed the tent, now stuffing it into his backpack. She took out the ancient bronze coins, found a red rope from her bag, threaded them into a bracelet. By the time she finished, Wang Cheng’an had everything ready. She walked over, slipped the bracelet on his wrist, and said, “Dad, Grandma was originally surnamed Feng—Feng Yuqin. Yu Qin was the name she changed to later.” She picked a stick and wrote “Feng Yuqin” on the ground for her dad to memorize. Once he had it down and could write it, she added, “This bracelet is handed down from Grandma. I’m giving it to you now.”
Wang Cheng’an pouted unhappily, yanked open his collar to show his Protective Jade Pendant, and said, “I don’t want something so girly. I’m a big man—I have this!”
Wang Ya glared at Wang Cheng’an. “I’m afraid of losing the ancient bronze coins, so I’m having you hold them for me. If you take it off or lose it, you’ll only get one meal a day from now on, and I won’t call you Dad anymore.”
Hearing how serious Wang Ya was, Wang Cheng’an paled and immediately dropped any thought of removing it, nodding frantically to promise he’d keep the ancient bronze coins safe. Still, he grumbled that the bracelet looked girly.
Old Tang’s group approached with their heavy packs and couldn’t help glancing back and forth between Wang Cheng’an’s wrist and face.
If Huang Qi had ancient bronze coins to ward her off, why bother struggling for the Ghost Seeking Pill? With them, not only would evils be repelled, but their Supreme Yang Astral Qi could gradually dispel the Yin Evil Malignant Qi in Huang Qi’s body. Even if her eyes couldn’t be cured, her life would be secure.
ancient bronze coins were extremely precious heirlooms—unbuyable, unstealable, and Wang Ya wouldn’t trade them anyway. They could only envy from afar.
Old Tang praised how noble Wang Cheng’an looked wearing the ancient bronze coins, like a Dashing Noble Young Master, which delighted Wang Cheng’an and made the bracelet more palatable.
The three weren’t surprised Wang Ya had woven the coins into a bracelet for Wang Cheng’an. Her Demonic Aura was now overwhelming, suppressed by the coins before, but she no longer needed their protection. The Feng Family sites ahead were dangerous; better to give them to Wang Cheng’an for defense. Besides, they were Feng Family items—returning them to him was just proper.
Once the five regrouped, they pressed on. The mature trees thinned ahead, and within less than an hour, they encountered only bushes, weeds, and thorny thickets taller than a person, blocking the path densely. Old Tang hacked a trail with a machete until it dulled.
Old Tang stowed the blunted machete and said to Zhang Qingshui, “Little Zhang, your turn to clear the way.”
Zhang Qingshui nodded lightly. The Azure Dragon Vine coiled on her arm burrowed underground, and the thorns ahead parted automatically. Zhang Qingshui said, “Wang Ya, we’re here. You’re up to lead. Which way?”
How would Wang Ya know? Thorns blocked every direction; without the early-rising sun overhead, she couldn’t even tell cardinal points. Recalling the Dragon-Seeking Formation-Breaking Art‘s notes on the “Illusory City Labyrinth,” she said, “Find the waterfall. Enter through the pool below.” Then she fell silent, unwilling to waste effort hacking through thorns. Zhang Qingshui studied Feng Shui and Arrays; with such a clear clue, failing to find a waterfall would be pathetic.
Zhang Qingshui walked and calculated nonstop, leading them in looping circles through the thickets.
Wang Ya noted Zhang Qingshui’s odd path, figuring they were in an Array of rocks and thorns. Ignorant of Arrays herself, she followed obediently. Huang Qi and Old Tang seemed to know some, occasionally calculating too.
After over three hours of circling, they found a streambed scoured by rainwater amid the thorns.
Likely due to no recent rain, the hidden stream was nearly dry, with only scattered damp puddles.
Zhang Qingshui stood on the stream, glanced up the mountain, then down, and said, “Downstream.”
Descending the streambed was tougher than the thickets—rocks slick from erosion, treacherous footing. One slip meant tumbling into thorns. Barbed vines, unstable stones, no handholds. But all had martial skills and supported each other, navigating with scares but no mishaps.
They followed downstream until noon, suddenly reaching a cliff edge. After rain, it would be a waterfall one or two meters wide.
Wang Ya tossed a stone down, hearing a “plop” not far below. Peering carefully, she saw a pool six or seven meters down: three to four meters wide, five to six long.
The water was inky green, like stagnant death water. Strangest, the incoming stream ended at the pool—as if mountain runoff pooled there and never flowed out. Scanning around, the thorny arcs cupped their position in a depression.
Old Tang surveyed the terrain, tied climbing rope to thorny roots nearby, tossed it down, and rappelled.
Wang Ya, Wang Cheng’an, Zhang Qingshui, and Huang Qi followed to the poolside.
Wang Ya immediately felt a chill, slightly fishy stench—like dead water. The Deep Pool’s water looked deep-colored but clean—no green algae.
Old Tang examined the water. “Enter here?” He tied the rope to a watermelon-sized rock and sank it; it plunged over twenty meters deep, still descending.
Zhang Qingshui scanned around. “Terrain matches.” Then, “No diving gear.” She glanced at Wang Ya, implying: You knew about the Deep Pool—why no reminder for gear? Or what’s next?
Wang Ya ignored her. The ancient Feng Family entered without scuba; they could too. She stepped back three or four feet from the edge, opened her pack, and ate beef jerky for lunch.
Old Tang sighed. “Rest first. After eating, I’ll scout below.”
Wang Cheng’an loved food; starved from the trek, he happily dashed to Wang Ya’s side to munch jerky.
Wang Ya chewed jerky, staring at the inky green Deep Pool. Its mirror-calm surface faintly steamed eerie green mist. Thinking of the Illusory City Labyrinth below—and tails coveting Feng Family Treasure amid thorns and nightly evils—she truly wanted to leave Wang Cheng’an at the pool to wait.
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