The Chixiu swam by the river for a while, eventually letting out roars before departing.
Shen Bao collapsed on the ground, still shaken.
"This thing is truly terrifying. If it could survive outside of water, countless people would have perished by its jaws."
Ye Fan also gasped for breath, "This is a prehistoric creature; it should have been extinct long ago. I never expected it to survive here. It's truly terrifying." For Ye Fan to utter the word "terrifying" demonstrated the profound shock the Chixiu had inflicted upon him.
The two rested in place for a long time before getting up.
Ye Fan also seized a long saber from a nearby skeleton.
In this environment, having something to defend themselves with was essential.
If even the Chixiu appeared, who knew what other monsters they might encounter.
Each wielding a long saber, they walked along the underground river for over an hour until a bridge appeared ahead.
"Another Seven-Orifice Bridge. What kind of existence is this underground? Why were these structures built?"
Ye Fan frowned deeply, utterly bewildered.
The construction of this palace defied all logic. If the structures above ground were imitations of imperial palaces, what was this place underground?
If the sole purpose was to hide that cache of treasure, why build so many artifacts?
Ye Fan's expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes in thought.
"Perhaps, in addition to being the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's final retreat, it also entombs members of the Heavenly Kingdom. This underground area clearly resembles a burial ground. Otherwise, why so many dead bodies? They're obviously offerings for the afterlife," Shen Bao said with annoyance, his words laced with frustration.
Hearing Shen Bao's words, Ye Fan chuckled, but upon closer reflection, it did seem to hold some truth.
The Seven-Orifice Bridge before them clearly represented the privileges of royalty, and perhaps below it were preparations for the deceased.
The living resided above, the dead were buried below, thus achieving a balance between yin and yang.
"Let's go take a look first. We can't be sure yet," Ye Fan sighed, then quickly walked with Shen Bao to the arched bridge.
The quality of this arched bridge was demonstrably inferior to the one above.
The bridge railings were damaged, and in many places, the surface had already peeled off.
Shen Bao stepped on the stairs with force a few times. Although the exterior appeared severely damaged, the steps themselves were solid enough not to cause a fall.
"There's no path ahead; we can only cross to the other side using this arched bridge," Ye Fan said, looking around with resignation.
"Let's go. Crossing the bridge is better than swimming. The thought of that monstrous fish chills me to the bone," Shen Bao said irritably, and then led the way onto the bridge.
The arched bridge was dozens of meters long, flat in the middle with stone steps at both ends.
Standing on the bridge, gazing at the rushing river below, they felt a disorienting sensation, as if they were floating.
Ye Fan's gaze was fixed on the riverbed, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Ye Fan walking slowly and staring intently at the riverbed, Shen Bao asked from ahead, puzzled.
Ye Fan shook his head, "Nothing. It's just an uncomfortable feeling. It seems this bridge isn't as simple as it looks."
As they spoke, the river water below suddenly churned into a vortex, the black water resembling a monstrous beast opening its gaping maw.
"Boom."
With a loud noise, a figure suddenly leaped out of the river and lunged directly at Shen Bao.
"Careful."
Ye Fan, his eyes fixed on the water's surface, quickly moved forward and pulled Shen Bao back.
The figure possessed remarkable leaping ability, clearing several meters with ease, jumping over the bridge and landing back in the water on the other side.
Shen Bao's face was filled with terror, a sheen of cold sweat appearing on his forehead. He patted his chest with lingering fear.
"What kind of monster was that? How could it be so terrifying?"
It wasn't that he was cowardly, but the sudden danger had caught him completely off guard, filling him with dread.
"It seemed like a floating corpse."
"A floating corpse?" Shen Bao was stunned, looking at Ye Fan with confusion.
Ye Fan nodded, "Yes, a floating corpse. It's a mutated corpse. When people die in specific environments, due to bacterial proliferation, these stiffened bodies are manipulated by microorganisms to move. They often possess greater strength and many inexplicable abilities. Like this floating corpse just now, it had extreme leaping power. In my time, such behavior was known as seeking a substitute. If it dragged you into the river, you would become the next floating corpse."
Ye Fan's gaze remained fixed on the river, explaining to Shen Bao.
"Your time? What time?" Shen Bao looked at Ye Fan suspiciously, feeling that he was being rather secretive.
Hearing Shen Bao's question, Ye Fan realized he had spoken out of turn. He gave an awkward smile.
"Nothing, I just read it in ancient texts."
Briefly masking his slip, Ye Fan continued, "Let's hurry across the bridge. If the floating corpse attacks again, who knows what danger awaits." He urged Shen Bao to move faster.
But just then, the floating corpse that had fallen back into the water lunged again.
This time, its speed was even greater, catching Ye Fan off guard.
Shen Bao raised his hand and threw a punch.
*Puff.*
His fist struck the floating corpse's chest, sinking into it as if hitting cotton.
Instantly, the floating corpse tackled Shen Bao and began to pull him toward the river.
Seeing this, Ye Fan quickly stepped forward and grabbed Shen Bao's ankle.
"Push this disgusting thing away! We absolutely cannot let it drag us into the river," Ye Fan said urgently, holding Shen Bao's ankle tightly.
Shen Bao struggled desperately, landing punch after punch on the floating corpse's face.
But the floating corpse, being a swollen and rotten entity, remained unharmed by Shen Bao's blows.
"Don't use your fists, pry its hands open," Ye Fan shouted, enduring the strain.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Shen Bao suddenly grasped the floating corpse's hands and forcefully twisted them outwards.
*Crack.*
The hand was wrenched off by his strength.
"Damn it, this monster is too horrifying."
Yellowish-green pus streamed out, splattering onto Shen Bao's face with a foul stench.
Discarding one hand, Shen Bao ignored the pus on his face, grabbed the floating corpse's other hand, twisted it off, and threw it into the water as well.
Without its hands, the floating corpse could no longer hold onto Shen Bao. Shen Bao then kicked it forcefully in the stomach.
He sent the floating corpse flying, smashing it into the water.
Seeing this, Ye Fan exerted all his strength and pulled Shen Bao up from beneath the bridge.
"Hurry and get off the bridge, don't delay," Ye Fan said sternly, then pulled Shen Bao and sprinted towards the end of the bridge.
Running non-stop, within moments, they had reached the other side of the bridge.