Urban Martial Saint
Chapter 1417: Ding Lianshun Is Still Alive!
Upon hearing this voice, Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi's expressions changed simultaneously, and they both turned their heads to look outside. This voice was like a sudden thunder, shocking them both.
Because this voice was none other than One-Eyed Ding Lianshun's voice!
Ding Lianshun, wasn't he already dead in North Hong? How... how could he be here now?
"Did you... did you hear that just now?" Yin Xianzi inquired tremblingly beside Ye Qing, doubting whether she was experiencing another illusion.
Ye Qing frowned tightly, he too wondered if it was an illusion. Even if Ding Lianshun hadn't died in North Hong, he couldn't possibly have made it here. It's known that the entire cave collapsed in an explosion, if Ding Lianshun was inside, even if he didn't die, he would be seriously injured. Even if rescued, it'd be impossible to recover from injuries in mere two days and make it here to Beimang Mountain!
"Red-Striped Snake! Ye Qing!" Just when the two were startled, the voice outside came again: "Are you two inside? Say something!"
Upon hearing Ding Lianshun's voice again, Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi finally snapped out of it, confirming the person outside was indeed Ding Lianshun.
While not understanding how Ding Lianshun could be alive and here, at this moment, both felt a sense of joy. At least, Ding Lianshun wasn't dead!
But the joy didn't last long before gloom overtook them again. Ding Lianshun may not be dead, but the two of them were going to perish here!
In front, the layered Devouring Demon Flowers were impassable. Behind, the Demon Flower vines gradually extended, about to surround them. In such a situation, where was the chance for escape?
Yin Xianzi took a deep breath and asked cautiously: "Cyclops, is... is it you?"
"Red-Striped Snake!?" Ding Lianshun's voice suddenly became extremely joyous, and urgently said: "You are really inside!"
"It's really you!" Yin Xianzi was equally joyous, urgently asked: "How... did you get here?"
"Oh dear, there's no time to talk about this now!" Ding Lianshun said urgently: "How are things going inside?"
On hearing this, Yin Xianzi immediately resumed her worried tone, urgently said: "The situation is somewhat troublesome, we're surrounded!"
Outside, Ding Lianshun was silent for a moment before suddenly saying: "Wait for me!"
"Cyclops, what are you going to do?" Yin Xianzi asked urgently.
There was no answer from outside. After about half a minute, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps, heading straight towards the layered Devouring Demon Flowers.
"Cyclops? What are you doing?" Yin Xianzi was even more terrified, exclaimed urgently: "Don't collide with these Demon Flowers, you can't knock them down. If you're swallowed by them, you're doomed!"
As Yin Xianzi's words fell, there was a thud, as if something hit the Demon Flowers. The layered Demon Flowers shuddered, showing the force of impact.
"Don't worry, their backs face me, they won't swallow me!" Ding Lianshun shouted from outside: "I'll knock them down, giving you two a chance to get out. Seize the moment and don't miss the chance!"
"But it's too risky for you!" Yin Xianzi exclaimed urgently.
Ding Lianshun didn't answer, Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi only heard the continuous crashing sounds from outside, clearly Ding Lianshun was hitting against the Demon Flowers.
These Demon Flowers were extremely massive, after repeated impacts by Ding Lianshun, they shook but didn't fall. However, under Ye Qing and Yin Xianzi's gaze, these Demon Flowers began slowly turning, directing their petals outward.
"Cyclops, be careful!" Yin Xianzi exclaimed in shock: "These Demon Flowers are turning towards you!"
"Ah?" Ding Lianshun also yelled in surprise outside, then shouted: "Great opportunity! These Demon Flowers are turning this way, there'll definitely be gaps in between, you two grab the opportunity to run out!"
"But you'll be in danger!" Yin Xianzi exclaimed urgently.
"Stop the nonsense, or else you two will die inside!" Ding Lianshun shouted loudly, and the crashing sounds from outside became even more urgent.
Yin Xianzi listened to the sounds of Ding Lianshun crashing into the Devouring Demon Flowers, and her eyes instantly became moist.
Ye Qing stood beside her, and although he didn't speak, his hands were tightly clenched. No matter what his stance with Ding Lianshun Yin Xianzi was, at this moment, Ding Lianshun was truly saving him!
Yin Xianzi knew she couldn't persuade Ding Lianshun, so she stopped speaking, staring at the overlapping Devouring Demon Flowers in front of them, searching for an opportunity to break through.
The vines behind them were not far away, and just as they were about to entangle them, a gap did indeed appear among the Devouring Demon Flowers, allowing for passage.
Without any hesitation, Yin Xianzi grabbed Ye Qing and rushed through like a lightning bolt, through the gap, and didn't stop until they had gone far.
At this point, the two of them were almost at the cave entrance, and there were no more Devouring Demon Flowers or vines here, so they finally escaped the danger.
"We're out!" Yin Xianzi was overjoyed, quickly turned her head, and said, "Cyclops, we're out, you..."
Her words came to an abrupt stop because she saw the situation behind them clearly.
The overlapping Devouring Demon Flowers had mostly turned around, and Ding Lianshun was trapped inside one of them. This Devouring Demon Flower was slowly closing, and Ding Lianshun was completely unable to escape.
"Cyclops!" Yin Xianzi cried out urgently and, without another word, pulled a silk ribbon from her waist and threw it to wrap around Ding Lianshun's waist. She pulled with all her might, but in this situation, she simply couldn't pull Ding Lianshun out.
"Don't worry about me, just get out, get out first!" Ding Lianshun shouted loudly, but it couldn't stop Yin Xianzi at all. However, Yin Xianzi couldn't save Ding Lianshun either, and the Devouring Demon Flowers started to retreat slowly, dragging Yin Xianzi along with Ding Lianshun.
"I said, don't worry about me!" Ding Lianshun roared, suddenly breaking the ribbon around his waist with his hands, shouting, "Get out!"
"No way!" Yin Xianzi shouted and rushed forward.
"I'll do it!" Ye Qing also shouted, gripping the Wu Hong Dagger, prepared to rush forward, but was pushed back by Yin Xianzi with a palm.
"Do you want to die!" Yin Xianzi glared at him, urgently saying, "You go out first!"
"I'm not leaving!" Ye Qing replied angrily.
"No way, you must go out!" Yin Xianzi rushed to Ye Qing and slapped him on the shoulder, sending him flying out directly.
Ye Qing was far less powerful than Yin Xianzi, and before her, he had no power to resist at all. He was knocked out but wasn't injured much upon landing, though he had left the cave.
"Ye Qing, you go first!" Yin Xianzi's voice gradually faded from inside the cave: "I have to stay and save him. If we don't come out in an hour, you must leave immediately. Remember, go to Tai Island to find the Heavenly Master; he might have a way to save us. Don't come in; otherwise, if no one goes out to report, we'll all be doomed. I have some food and water here, enough to last for half a month, so hurry to find the Heavenly Master!"
Hearing Yin Xianzi's words, Ye Qing hesitated for a moment at the cave entrance and eventually did not go in. Not because he was afraid to die, but as Yin Xianzi said, out of the three of them, one must go to report. Otherwise, if all three stayed here, they'd surely be doomed!
But could Heavenly Master Lin Xuan Yue find a way to save them from within the Devouring Demon Flowers?
Fortunately, those Devouring Demon Flowers wouldn't leave the cave. So, Ye Qing stood outside the cave, quite safe. However, the wait here made Ye Qing feel like time was dragging on endlessly. There was no sound from inside, and he didn't know the situation within. His heart was beating anxiously. He knew that Yin Xianzi and Ding Lianshun going in was most likely doom. After all, Ding Lianshun had already been swallowed by the Devouring Demon Flowers, so how could Yin Xianzi rescue him?
Time ticked by second by second, an hour seemed both long and short. Ye Qing anxiously waited outside for an hour but didn't see Yin Xianzi and Ding Lianshun come out. There wasn't even a sound from within the cave, which gradually chilled Ye Qing's heart. But he remained steadfast, continuing to wait outside the cave.
After waiting for more than two hours, with still no result, Ye Qing finally despaired. He knew Yin Xianzi and Ding Lianshun must have been swallowed by the Devouring Demon Flowers and couldn't possibly come out. Now, of the three who entered, only he was left. He had to leave to report and find someone to rescue Yin Xianzi and Ding Lianshun!
Standing silently at the cave entrance for a moment, Ye Qing slowly clenched his fists and said softly, "Mr. Ding, Yin Xianzi, don't worry, I will definitely find a way to save you!"
Having said this, Ye Qing turned around and directly retraced his steps back.
Walking back through the five checkpoint caves, Ye Qing didn't glance at the words on the stone walls, just walking straight through. He encountered no obstacles along the way. It seemed, as Yin Xianzi said, the real danger lay in those four characters warning of 'Living Forbidden Zone' on the stone walls, which sure enough contained an Illusory Formation. As long as he didn't look at those four characters, there would be no danger.
Ye Qing learned a lesson the hard way. In truth, how could someone entering for the first time not look at those four characters? After all, passing through so many caves, there were no such marks, and in this cave, those four characters were positioned so prominently. Who wouldn't look? This checkpoint is simply unavoidable for first-timers!