Chapter 267.

Chapter 267.

Both kinds of "funerals" can simply be interpreted as guiding someone on their way.

However, one refers to guiding the deceased, and the other, the living.

Ming Sheng denied the accusation, "Do I look capable of such deeds? I even faint at the sight of blood."

Zhan Meng shouted back, "But you damned bastard did it!"

Besides, there’s no bloodshed in this place.

All their blood vanished on the first day they entered the dungeon. When Xie Yin Xue fell and remained motionless, not a single drop of blood oozed out.

Zhan Meng, Lu Shuo, and Xiao Si Yu had no intention of letting the participants on the upper stairs pull them over. Instead, they hurriedly descended the stairs, rushing to Xie Yin Xue's side to check his condition.

If they previously harbored a glimmer of hope, thinking that Xie Yin Xue's abilities would save him from such a fall, seeing his current state shattered that illusion completely.

Although the sandy ground might not be as hard as cement, it's no soft cushion. That a human body remains intact after such an impact is nothing short of miraculous.

But such "luck" doesn't necessarily equate to the preservation of life.

Take Xie Yin Xue for example. His body remained whole but was contorted, arms and legs splayed in unnatural angles, only held together by thin layers of flesh.

Even in his demise, he maintained a haunting beauty. His serene face, resting on his silky black hair, made all the jewels and golden ornaments adorning him look pale in comparison. There's an eerie beauty to this sight, evoking the image of an ageless, undecaying corpse.

"Can... can he be saved?"

As Zhan Meng watched Xiao Si Yu, who after feeling Xie Yin Xue's pulse and listening for a heartbeat, finally gently lifted the young man's eyelids to check, he asked.

"...His pupils have dilated, and there's no heartbeat," Xiao Si Yu turned away, pressing a hand to his temple, "He's beyond saving."

Lu Shuo opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to utter another word.

— It was unbelievable.

This was the unanimous thought in their hearts.

No one could believe that Xie Yinxue would meet his end in such a careless and hasty manner. Yet, the undeniable truth lay right before their eyes, impossible to ignore.

Lv Shuo took a deep breath, pounded on the sandy ground, and shouted up to Bian Yuchen on the stair landing: "Bian Yuchen! It was you again, wasn't it?! Monster! You truly are heartless!"

Looking down from his elevated position, Bian Yuchen spread his hands and calmly stated, "I haven't done anything."

Zhan Meng joined Lv Shuo in accusing him: "You must have bribed someone to take Mr. Xie's life!"

After hurling the accusation, Zhan Meng collapsed next to Xie Yinxue's body, wailing, "Mr. Xie, you shouldn't have closed your eyes... I hope you'll become a vengeful spirit and seek revenge on those who caused your death!"

Observing their grief, Bian Yuchen sighed gently, "Life and death are natural. Don't be too distraught. Maybe you should take his body back and hand it over to his family."

With teary eyes, Chen Yun coldly responded, "Mr. Xie entered this challenge already lying in a coffin. His family has long prepared for his afterlife. He also mentioned he didn’t want to leave with us. We should respect his wishes. There's no need for your concern."

Nodding, Bian Yuchen said, "Alright, as you wish."

"Didn't you say you wanted to go home and see your son?"

Xin Yuechun eyed Ming Sheng warily, afraid he might push someone again: "After killing Xie Yinxue, how do you plan to return? He'll take your life once this is over."

Ming Sheng chuckled incredulously, "You really believed I have a son? I'm so young, I don't even have a wife."

He gestured towards the bottom of the stairs, "I won’t be leaving with you all. I'll stay here and give my life back to Mr. Xie."

Confused, Xin Yuechun asked, "What are you really after?"

Leaning his head back, Ming Sheng responded with a resigned air, "Let's just say I'm tired of living."

Xin Yuechun was at a loss for words.

Zhan Meng, who managed to climb back onto the stairs, spat out, "They're all lunatics; it's pointless talking to them."

In the end, it was decided that Xin Yuechun and Chen Yun would keep an eye on Ming Sheng to prevent any surprise attacks, while the others continued pulling up the rope to help Xiaosi Yu, Lv Shuo, and Zhan Meng.

Once everything was settled, Bian Yuchen let go of the rope and, taking a few steps back, jumped down from the stair landing.

Watching this, Lv Shuo realized, "You're not leaving either, are you?"

"Why would I leave? Both Mr. Xie and I are seeking immortality, so naturally, I should stay. The rest of you, go back." Bian Yuchen raised his head slightly, addressing those above. He then bowed in respect and declared, "I wish all of you a bright future and success in every endeavor."

Zhan Meng sneered, "So if anyone of us says they don't want to return, you'll have Ming Sheng push them off?"

"I told you, I wouldn't harm any of you." Ming Sheng's expression was one of sheer helplessness, "If you don't trust me or genuinely fear me, then you should leave."

Chen Yun leaned over the edge, taking one last deep look at Xie Yin Xue, gritting her teeth she commanded, "Move!"

Thus, all those on the upper part of the stone ladder, save for Ming Sheng, began their rapid ascent towards the rectangle of blue sky at the temple's summit.

But Yao Xiao Guo hadn't gotten far when she suddenly tripped.

More precisely, her legs morphed into something resembling water lily roots, deeply anchored into the stone. When she braced her fall with her right hand, it similarly transformed, transitioning from human flesh and bone into the hollow structure of lily roots.

"Help! Someone help me—"

Yao Xiao Guo's painful scream filled the air. She stretched out her left hand, and Chen Yun quickly grabbed it, but couldn't free Yao Xiao Guo's legs or right hand from the stone.

Xi Xi rushed back to her side, "What's happening?"

"I don’t know." Zhan Meng glanced at his own feet, "We're not experiencing this."

"Indeed, we're not, because only she owes a debt of life." Li Chan Yi said, "People often owe three types of debts: money, emotion, and life. Emotional debts are the hardest to repay, followed by life debts. They're often repaid through illness, premature death, accidents, murder, or disabilities."

She crouched down, prodding the part of Yao Xiao Guo's skin close to the stone, her voice laced with a mix of emotions, "Your leg and hand seem to have become water lily stems; they're brittle... If you break them, you might be free."

Tears welled up in Yao Xiao Guo's eyes, she asked in disbelief, "...Then, what about my hand and leg?"

Li Chan Yi shook her head, choosing not to answer.

"I don't want to... I can't..." Yao Xiao Guo sobbed, gripping Chen Yun's fingers tightly, "Please help me think of a way... Ah!"

Before she could finish, several grotesque human-headed bugs climbed up from the back of the stone ladder, beginning to feast on Yao Xiao Guo's body. Chen Yun reflexively tried to swat them away, but instead of dislodging them, a chunk of her own flesh was bitten off.

Xin Yue Chun, witnessing this, exclaimed in panic, "If you keep hesitating, you won't even save your life!"

Yao Xiao Guo attempted to snap her right arm a couple of times, but was quickly deterred by the excruciating pain, "I can't do it, I just can't..."

Chen Yun reached out to help again but was bitten once more, losing two pieces of flesh from her right palm in mere moments.

Xiao Si Yu quickly restrained Chen Yun, then held onto Yao Xiao Guo's wrist, reassuring her, "We can't help with this, you have to do it. We won’t let go, and once you’re free, we’ll run with you."

Yao Xiao Guo hesitated, "..."

Yao Xiaoguo hesitated momentarily, biting her lip hard. With a swift, determined motion, she snapped her right hand at the wrist. Her wound didn't bleed, but the broken end resembled a cross-section of a lotus root, riddled with numerous vertical air channels. The texture of muscle and fat within was vividly clear, sending shivers down one's spine.

The agony of forcibly tearing a part of one's body is beyond words. Had it not been for Xiao Siyu and Chen Yun restraining her left hand, Yao Xiaoguo would likely be writhing on the ground in sheer torment.

"I can't go on..."

Pain threatened to knock her unconscious. The continuous physical exertion and exhaustion from staying awake had drained all her energy. Without the strength or tolerance for another bout of such excruciating pain, Yao Xiaoguo told Chen Yun and the others, "Don't mind me... I deserve this... It's a debt I owe..."

In just a few minutes, the transformation in Yao Xiaoguo's legs had spread from her ankles to her calves. One could only imagine that soon, this anomaly would climb to her thighs and eventually consume her entirely.

As Chen Yun contemplated, realizing Yao Xiaoguo's calves were now as fragile as lotus roots, pondering whether to try breaking her legs with a kick, Zhan Meng shouted, urging them to release her: "Run! Ming Sheng is pushing people again!"

At Zhan Meng's words, Chen Yun looked up quickly, indeed seeing an almost drained Ming Sheng staggering towards them.

However, Ming Sheng, true to his word, did nothing to them. He merely did what Chen Yun intended to do—swiftly kicking and breaking both of Yao Xiaoguo's calves.

Without hesitation, Chen Yun and Xiao Siyu quickly pulled Yao Xiaoguo away.

While Yao Xiaoguo found relief, Ming Sheng was swarmed by monstrous creatures. In an instant, they devoured half of him, the length of which was precisely three times that of Yao Xiaoguo's calves.

Seeing this, Lv Shuo exclaimed in astonishment, "You..."

Ming Sheng, lying on the steps, glanced at the unconscious Yao Xiaoguo. Yet, it appeared as if he didn't see the face he longed for, and with a wistful expression, he whispered weakly, "Go on..."

Confused by Ming Sheng's actions and motives, and seeing no hope for his survival after what he did to Xie Yinxue and with half his body gone, the group decided to move on, carrying Yao Xiaoguo and dashing towards the temple's pinnacle.

Only when everyone had disappeared into the azure dome did Bian Yuchen pause to ask, "...Ming Sheng?"

"Are you still alive?"

Silence was the only reply to Bian Yuchen's question.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, resumed walking, and only stopped when he reached Xie Yinxue's side.

"Xie Yinxue."

Bian Yuchen crouched down and called Xie Yinxue's name, but received no response.

Squinting, he placed a hand over Xie Yinxue's heart—no heartbeat. Lifting her eyelid, he saw fully dilated pupils and her chest showed no signs of breathing.

Medically speaking, Xie Yinxue was undoubtedly dead.

Yet Bi Yan Chen refused to believe Xie Yin Xue was truly dead.

Even with the lifeless body before his eyes, he could not accept it.

He stared intently at the young man's face, wishing deep down that he truly was gone.

But fate rarely grants our wishes. Xie Yin Xue was so audacious that he had once claimed his own life and death was not up to fate. Therefore, when Bi Yan Chen saw Xie Yin Xue's lips move slightly, he wasn't really surprised, but rather felt a sense of resignation.

Yet, the lips parted not to speak, but to release a live cicada with a blend of brown and black hues.