Exploring the Illusory Tomb Part 1 [Ancient Times Version] - Chapter 41: Into the Abyss

Chapter 41: Into the Abyss

A woman in a plain white robe parted the crimson flower bushes and walked out lightly. That streak of white amidst the red was too dazzling. I was just about to leap out and call to her. But the moment I saw her face, my expression slowly froze.

At that moment, her face was frosted over. It was colder than I’d ever seen it. Her pitch-black eyes locked tightly onto Qing Songzi. And her delicate brows were slightly furrowed. The cinnabar mark between her brows was usually hidden under her snow-like pale skin. It now glowed vividly. Along with it came a piercing intensity that made it impossible to look away from her.

“Where did the Heart-Devouring Gu come from?” 

Her voice slid out softly. But it was bitterly cold. Hearing it, I felt as if the whole world had frozen over. The air around us was thick with her barely restrained fury.

Qing Songzi was surprised at first. He then changed into an unreadable smile. 

“Look who it is. We once walked the same path—why so angry now?”

“Speak. Where did it come from?!” 

Her voice rang out sharply as she shouted. The massive sword Giant Que was already aimed at Qing Songzi. I could even see her thin shoulders trembling slightly. It was as if she were desperately trying to suppress an overwhelming emotion.

Luo Shen—something was very wrong with her.

I’d known her for so long and never seen her emotions waver like this. What was happening today?

Qing Songzi let out a dry laugh. His hawk-like eyes fixed on her. And suddenly, he twisted his face into a cold smile. The muscles on his gaunt face twitched grotesquely.

“And what if I don’t tell you?”

Ice and snow surged in Luo Shen’s gaze as she said coldly, 

“Then I’ll kill you.”

Qing Songzi suddenly pointed at her and laughed loudly. 

“How pitiful! How pitiful! You’ve been searching for so long—aren’t you tired? Even if you find it, then what?”

Just then, a loud screech rang through the air. A massive shadow swooped down. It stirred a fierce wind. Spreading its huge black wings wide, a giant black roc flew in low.

Luo Shen’s face changed instantly. She darted forward like an arrow to stop him. But Qing Songzi had already leapt lightly into the air, grasped the roc’s black claw, and soared upward. His figure floated in the sky. He was laughing wildly as he was carried away. The wind stirred up by the bird’s wings was so strong that I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I only saw the black roc carry him farther and farther away. It was until he became a tiny dot and disappeared.

“Luo Shen!” 

I quickly jumped out from the flower bushes to call her. I saw her slightly hunched over. She was standing not far from me. She was like a white crane with broken wings. She stood there sorrowfully in the middle of the marsh.

I heard her murmur, 

“Pitiful… me? Pitiful…?”

She looked up. Her hair was flying wildly in the wind. Her face was especially haggard. Her dark eyes stared mournfully at me. It was as if they were slicing through my chest with every glance.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?” 

My heart ached terribly. I saw her bent over, leaning on Giant Que. She was trembling all over. It was as if she couldn’t even stand upright. I rushed toward her.

But as I took a single step, a deafening rumble burst behind Luo Shen. The ground where she was standing suddenly cracked open. She had been standing there so weakly, unprepared. Her foot slipped—and she fell.

My mind went blank at the sight. The world turned a ghastly white. I instinctively used my footwork technique to dash over. I reached out just in time to grab her wrist. But the force was too great—I couldn’t hold on. I too fell over the cliff edge. Desperately, I drove my Jin Se Sword into the rock wall. It struck the rock with a loud clang. It sent sparks flying. And it finally wedged into a gap.

My fall stopped instantly. Cold sweat soaked through my clothes. I clung to the icy cliff. My left hand was gripping Jin Se, and my right hand was holding tightly to the wrist of the woman dangling below me.

“Luo Shen!” 

I called, my voice trembling. My teeth were chattering from the cold.

No answer.

I looked down and saw her hanging silently below me. She was held by the hand I was gripping. Beneath her was a deep, pitch-black, bottomless abyss. She hung her head and didn’t make a sound.

“Don’t be afraid!” 

I thought she was terrified by the sudden fall and tried to comfort her. 

“Just hold on a bit longer. I brought the Dragon Hook Rope. We’ll get back up soon. My sword is secure—we’ll be fine.” 

I said that, but my heart pounded furiously. Suspended like this, two people hanging off a cliff—how long could we actually last?

But one thing I knew for sure—I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

Even if it killed me, I would hold on. My hand gripping Jin Se was in sharp pain. Something sticky trickled down my arm—it must’ve been bleeding. It was slick and warm.

The air was thick with the smell of bl00d.

“Qingyi.”

She suddenly spoke below me. 

“Let go.”

 Her voice was light as a breeze. It was brushing past my ear. It sent a chill through my body.

“What nonsense are you saying! We’ll be fine—I have good lightness skill! Just wait a little longer!” 

I shouted down, tightening my grip. But her hand grew colder and colder. It was like a block of ice, no longer human.

She looked up. From above, I saw her haggardness had faded. Her face was now calm. Her eyes were gentle like the moon in the sky. She had a faint smile that slowly spread across her face.

She was too beautiful—so beautiful she didn’t belong to this world. I felt like she was about to leave—disappear to somewhere else. Like she would disappear without leaving even the faintest trace of fragrance behind.

“I… my cold illness has flared up. I have no strength left. With the two of us hanging like this, neither of us will survive.”

I understood instantly. Tears burst from my eyes.

“No!” 

I screamed, yelling at her. As if by yelling, I could stop her from speaking the next painful words.

“If two people can’t survive, at least one can. Right now, I’m just a burden.” 

She smiled faintly. Her face was peaceful and tender. Looking at her, my heart felt like it would shatter.

“Qingyi.” 

She called my name softly. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with the light of the marsh. They were dazzling like pearls. Her lips moved slightly. They mouthed silent words.

She was speaking lip words. I couldn’t hear her—only saw her pale lips moving silently.

She raised her other hand and began to pry open my fingers.

One finger.

“Luo Shen…” I called out hoarsely.

Another.

“Don’t…” My tears blurred my vision.

Another.

“Please…”

Her icy hand slipped slowly from my grasp. And in the end, her whole body fell like a severed white kite. It slipped through my fingers like sand. It was impossible to hold onto.

In an instant, all my senses vanished. It was as if I was struck by lightning.

Numbly, I slowly closed the hand that had held hers. I was hoping that by doing so, her cold palm would return. But only wisps of cold wind slipped through my fingers. My palm held nothing.

“Luo Shen!”

I shut my eyes. The world turned completely dark.

Without thought, my numb hand pulled out the wedged Jin Se.

With nothing left to cling to, I followed after her. I drifted into the bottomless abyss below.