Chapter 115: Breaking Free from Peril

Li Yue’s muffled cries were filled with intense terror. The scales were as heavy as a hundred-pound block of iron, with no difference in weight whatsoever. I quickly stripped off my clothes with one hand while keeping a tight grip on Li Yue with the other; I had to let go of her to shed the weight of my garments. By now, we had already sunk to an unknown depth.

Suddenly, the companion ghost on my shoulder slid down my body. The dagger I had been using earlier appeared in his hand, though I had no idea how. With a single stroke, he slashed through my clothes, and the scales all plummeted toward the depths of the water. Dragging Li Yue, I swam upward with all my might. By this time, Li Yue had begun to choke on water; her body struggled and spasmed unconsciously, which only created more resistance for me.

It is a simple common sense: once a person falls into the water, they will struggle desperately. To save someone from drowning, one must not only have the strength to carry them to shore but also the strength to suppress their frantic thrashing. During the process of drowning, both consciousness and limbs become impossible to control. I was already exhausted, relying entirely on sheer willpower just to keep moving. Li Yue’s struggle became the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

The air in my lungs was exhausted. My heart was filled with nothing but despair, yet I did not loosen my tight grip on Li Yue’s hand. Water began to fill my chest and abdomen. I no longer had the strength to continue swimming, and now, even without the weight of the scales, there was no possibility of reaching the surface. Death arrived with startling suddenness.

Just half the night ago, we were still on Mount Yalong. I had learned the four types of talismans from that man. In Qian-shui Town, I had obtained the White Book, which was extremely close and similar to the Earth Talisman Book, and had learned the arts of Feng Shui. Two of the three soul-sealing decrees had been lifted, making my soul unusually powerful, and my companion ghost had begun to grow stronger as well. I had followed Li Cangshui’s instructions, arriving at Mount Yalong to find Zhang Chang. Zhang Chang had promised to come out; it seemed as though everything was taking a turn for the better. I could go home, and I could save my mother.

But... but now, I was going to die in this Yin Dragon River.

I had already survived the most dangerous places and skirted the edge of life and death several times. This distance of only a dozen meters, with nothing but water to contend with and no other dangers, had become the most fatal obstacle. I was unwilling—I was unwilling to the extreme. I tried to open my mouth to roar, but only bubbles escaped, followed by more water being inhaled into my chest. I felt my consciousness beginning to numb, and my body gradually growing rigid.

Slowly, I lost consciousness. My final thought was that I must not let go. If I were to die, so be it; at least when I descended into the underworld, I would still be holding onto Li Yue. She was too naive, and I had to drag her along to keep her from being bullied by ghosts.

I do not know how much time passed. Suddenly, I felt warmth on my face. My body ached, I felt powerless, and my stomach was so empty it felt like my front was touching my back. The moment my consciousness returned, I felt a surge of wild joy. This was a feeling the dead could not possibly have! I was still alive; I hadn't died! I opened my eyes abruptly to see a familiar pattern of bamboo slats overhead.

There was the sound of water being displaced nearby, along with frantic shouting. Hands supported my shoulders, lifting me up.

"Young man, you... you actually jumped out from the Decapitation Cliff. How could you dare go to such a place? If I hadn't seen you, neither you nor this young girl would have survived."

The voice was also familiar. A jolt went through me, and I recognized it instantly—the speaker was the old boatman! I turned my head, gasping for air, and saw his wrinkled face. There was still a trace of terror in his eyes. My heart trembled slightly, and I croaked, "Thank you."

At the same time, I saw Li Yue lying nearby. Her face was deathly pale, but she was still breathing—weakly, but alive. On the entire boat, there were only the three of us: me, Li Yue, and the old boatman. I looked out to see boats speeding away on the water, all packed with people. The sounds of panic were coming from those vessels.

"They are fleeing!" The thought crossed my mind instantly.

"The mountain... it's shaking... they are all afraid. They fear the mountain will collapse. They are all fleeing, but even if this place is the home that raised them, if the home itself is gone, where can they go?" The old man’s face bore a look of deep desolation.

My gaze fell on Mount Yalong. The mountain was still shaking, and countless rocks were tumbling down, crashing onto the ground or splashing into the water with loud thuds. I clenched my fists tightly, my expression grim. Zhang Chang... he still hadn't come out. Such a change in Mount Yalong must be related to him... or could it be that he was unable to get out?

Two bundles were placed beside me, untouched by the old man. A feeling of helplessness rose in my heart. If he couldn't get out, there was nothing I could do. I feared this was his fate. But I was unwilling to admit defeat; I was unwilling to believe this was my fate!

"Young man, I will take you and this young girl to the shore. But I cannot take you too far; I must return," the old man said, his voice trembling.

I snapped out of my daze and said unnaturally, "Old man, why go back? If the mountain collapses and people die in there, what meaning does it have? Isn't it better to leave and live?"

The old man smiled and said, "If the mountain collapses, my home is gone. My old woman is still inside, and my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson are in there too. They live too high up, and I have been waiting here for them. None of them have come out, and not a single person from our village has escaped."

"If the mountain collapses and they all die inside, I might as well die in front of this mountain."

As he spoke, the old man began to row. His words were clearly tinged with a determination to die. Hearing this left me feeling a profound sense of desolation. I sighed inwardly, knowing that persuasion would be futile. To him, having grown up here his entire life, the next generation was everything. It was similar to my mother. Even after twenty years of guarding a grave in misery, she waited for the disaster at Baihu Village to appear, all to save me.

The old boatman possessed the same perseverance and determination. Only, his determination was to die alongside his kin. At this moment, there were still people fleeing from Mount Yalong. This boat was the only one left. People near the dock were shouting for the old man to row over.

Suddenly, a massive boulder fell, smashing into the shore and killing several people, causing many others to jump into the water in fear. The old man muttered, "This boat will only carry me back to my death. Why do you all want to leave? This... is home."

Just then, a thunderous, muffled sound erupted from the mountain. A fissure split the entire mountain right down the middle! Along with this sound came a bizarre, echoing roar. Screams, cries, and pleas for help made the shore chaotic and unbearable. The old man was about to row away, but just as the mountain split open, the shaking suddenly ceased completely.

One moment the earth was quaking, and the next, it was calm, as if nothing had happened at all—except for the gaping rift in the center of the mountain.

It stopped? I felt uneasy and suspicious.

Suddenly, a slight splash of water echoed. The sound didn't come from the dock or the shore, but from the Decapitation Cliff! I jerked my head to look. On the water’s surface, a figure was struggling.

"Save him! Quickly, save him!" My face lit up with wild joy.

That person was Zhang Chang! He had actually made it out! Mount Yalong had stopped shaking. Zhang Chang had succeeded in emerging, and since the mountain hadn't fallen, it meant the current crisis had vanished!

The old boatman stood frozen, muttering, "Impossible, how is this possible? Someone actually came out of Changyuan Village?"

I said in a hoarse voice, "Hurry, save him! If he dies, this mountain will truly collapse. Now that he is alive, Mount Yalong is safe."

The old man steered the boat toward the Decapitation Cliff. Zhang Chang was not struggling; instead, he was swimming toward us. I was filled with joy and, after a moment of hesitation, called out, "Grandfather!"

Zhang Chang seemed to freeze for a moment before looking up at us. The old man’s body went rigid.

"Zhang... Zhang Chang..." His voice was laced with fear.

Just then, Zhang Chang gripped the edge of the boat, and I reached out to grab his arm. A burst of immense strength erupted from his thin, gaunt frame as he hauled himself onto the boat. The old man turned pale with terror. Clutching his oar, he pointed at Zhang Chang in a panic. "No... impossible! How are you still alive? I must tell the Great Elder! You actually came out! You shouldn't have come out!"

I furrowed my brows, intending to explain, but Zhang Chang’s expression had turned cold. He glared at the old man with icy indifference and said, "Thirty-five years ago, it seems it was you who delivered me into Changyuan Village."

"Do you remember what I told you then?"

My heart skipped a beat. What was Zhang Chang planning to do? The old man had just saved our lives; I would never let him kill him.