he were on the brink of death, as long as her soul remained, her space would remain with her. 。This realization came to her gradually as she observed the identity shifts between Jiang Ran and Jiang Ya...He JianGuo swiftly pressed against the wall to evade the Snakehead's attack. Ren Jun's gunfire sounded timely, his movements never ceased, he circled Li Hong while simultaneously peeling away at the Snaketail's flesh, buying her precious survival space. 。Bai She couldn't bear the pain, her tail loosened, and Li Hong fell helplessly to the ground. He Jian Guo picked her up in one hand and quickly removed the dangerous devices from her body with the other, shouting: "Retreat!" 。Ren Jun immediately hoisted Li Hong onto his back, and they raced back the way they had come like arrows. 。He Jian Guo followed closely behind, turning back to throw the bomb into the snake's gaping maw. Two bullets struck with precision, exploding with a deafening roar. 。They ventured into the snake's den. Jiang Yan leaped down from the stone platform with agility, entering the narrow passage below and arriving at a solitary stone chamber. 。Although the light was dim, she could still make out that it was a space like a stone coffin buried deep underground. 。The 5-foot height made her feel stifled. Jiang Yan tried to explore and discovered that the echoes from the right stone slab were more spacious. 。She lay half-sitting, kicking open the thin slab of stone with force. A damp breath rushed in, but no sound of water came. 。Carefully illuminating the path ahead with his flashlight, Jiang Yan was surprised to discover that the end of the tunnel wasn't a sealed off space as expected, but a naturally formed cave. 。

Inside the cave, stalactites grow in abundance. The fluorescent stones at the top resemble winter icicles, forming a dreamy crystal chandelier. Below is a serene, round lake as still as a mirror.

The moisture in the air reminded her of signs of life, though fearful of the unknown underwater world, Jiang Yan still decided to cautiously explore, searching for a possible exit. 。As she moved along the cave wall, she suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on the opposite bank of the lake. A white shadow seemed to flash across it in an instant, sending a shiver down her spine. 。Jiang Yan recalled the mysterious white figure that Li Hong and He Jian Guo had seen earlier, a chill running down her spine. Though she hadn't been afraid facing the giant python, this intangible white figure made her feel deeply uneasy. 。Leaning against the rock face, she held a gun tightly in her hand. Though uncertain if it could withstand the eerie white figure, the weapon served as a barrier, offering her a sliver of comfort. 。She gazed at the riverbank, though she had waited for a long time, the white figure did not appear again. Instead, in her field of vision, she discovered a new clue. 。"Huh" 。Jian Yan mustered his courage, carefully dodging obstacles and searching meticulously for any place where the white figure might be hiding, but found nothing suspicious. 。Then, her gaze shifted to the mottled wall. The beam of her flashlight sliced across the pitch-black surface, illuminating faintly the deeply carved inscription on the stone, as if etched with a knife, powerful and distinct. 。Though the words are short, they contain profound meaning. 。Jiang Yan pondered repeatedly, gradually understanding: this elder hailed from a distinguished family, and in pursuit of immortality, he had embarked on the path of immortals. 。Some content in it Jiang Yan did not understand, seemingly involving a mysterious ascension method. He secretly prepared for this here, but due to the contradiction between his two disciples, he fell into a predicament. 。

One disciple coveted the sect's blessed land, while another plotted its destruction.

However, the elder, with his wisdom, turned danger into safety and accomplished some grand undertaking. 。In the last two sentences, Jiang Yan understood that the old man had cleverly thwarted both disciples. 。That wide-eyed mark, is probably one of the disciples, while the one in the depths of the cave, might be another. 。Regarding the identity of the grave owner, Jiang Yan gazed at the placid water surface, interpreting the words "The highest good is like water, which is beneficial to all things." She didn't think it was an oversight by the elder, because there was no signature after the inscription. 。The cave shuddered again, a roaring sound echoing through it. Jiang Yan pressed himself against the wall, fearing that stalactites might fall from the ceiling. 。At that moment, the white shadow flashed again, startling her instantly. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger with a bang, a retaliatory shot against the false alarm. 。"You think you're scaring me" 。She thought to herself 。What was thought to be a futile strike, unexpectedly hit the mark. 。The white shadow suddenly slowed down. Jiang Yan looked closely and saw that it was a pure white fox with no other colors at all. 。She approached cautiously, her face a picture of astonishment. 。In Northeast China, encountering a white fox is rare. Brown or orange foxes are common, and occasionally, you might see silver-gray or reddish-brown ones. These are considered symbols of the Kitsune (fox spirit). 。Jiang Yan's gunshot hit the fox's front paw, hindering its movement. But when she approached, the fox had already stood alert, trying to escape on three legs. 。However, Jiang Yan's mental manipulation skills were not yet refined, but dealing with such a small animal was effortless, easily subduing it. 。As soon as she had put away the sly white fox, she heard He Jianguo calling from the entrance of the stone room. She responded with a happy heart and returned, He Jianguo's return undoubtedly meant safety. The small, round stones she had harvested before were already precious, and now, adding a rare white fox, even without finding gold or silver, this trip was not in vain. 。She was walking back, and He Jian Guo had already leaped down like an arrow shot from a bow. The gunshot pierced through the chaos after the explosion, striking his nerves directly. 。Before he even landed, his eyes were sharp, seeing Jiang Yan unharmed. A stone in his heart instantly dropped, but the joy was fleeting, replaced by shock. He shouted urgently, "Get down!" 。It was too late. 。For He Jian Guo and Jiang Yan, the situation was dire. Their opponents were at ease in the water, putting enormous pressure on them. 。Especially Jiang Yan, besides her fear of deep water, she is also a novice with no experience in water at all. 。When Ho Chien-kuo tried to rescue him, the giant snake struck again. He stepped forward, and the snake's thick tail, as thick as a pillar, slammed into Ho Chien-kuo's left shoulder, sending him off balance. 。Jiang Yan was burning with rage. Though the weapon in her hand might not be able to shoot accurately, she still aimed at the snake's mouth and fired two shots. 。Fortunately, though its power was diminished, the bullet still embedded itself in the soft mouth, forcing the snake to writhe in pain. 。With Jiang Yan's efforts, they began to float upward, however He Jianguo unexpectedly pulled her down. 。Jiang Yan was confused, but under He Jianguo's guidance, she swallowed nervously, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, and gradually calmed down. Curiously, she followed He Jianguo deeper into the underwater secret realm. 。Although at the bottom of the water, Jiangyan could still clearly see the scenery below. The clear water reflected a strange and wonderful sight. 。Bubbles escaped her lips, and her eyes strained open in the struggle of the water, staring at the golden tree shimmering underwater, as if she had seen hope. 。This "money tree" is more exquisite and ornate than any treasure found in a cave. Its trunk is carved with intricate patterns and embedded with black gemstones-like materials, resembling the mottled bark... 。The leaves are a vibrant emerald green, adorned with white flowers and bright red fruits. Even from afar, one can tell that it is of extraordinary value. 。He JianGuo shot at the snake again, but it dodged cleverly and remained around them, waiting for an opportunity. 。He turned to Jiang Yan, telling her to hide behind the leaves and hug the trunk tightly. The dense branches could block the snake's attack. He himself continued searching under the tree base, wary of every sound. 。Jiang Yan cautiously guarded, drawing out a small crossbow from his hand, realizing this might be an effective weapon against underwater threats. 。 be that his fantasies about He Jian Guo had already begun to heat upThe morning sunlight streamed into the alleyway. Jiang Yan leisurely sat in front of a street stall, holding a piping hot youtiao (...