Chapter 139: The Kind Built for the Dead
The four of them entered the water one after another.
Although this artifact looked unadorned from the outside, resembling a simple gray sphere, once inside, one would find that its surroundings were completely transparent, allowing a crystal-clear view of the outside world.
To make it easier to search for an exit, Feng Shi slightly adjusted their positions.
It resulted in a posture where he was in the front and Shen Songhe was in the back, their chests and backs pressed tightly together.
When they fell earlier, the turbulent descent had knocked them unconscious. “Stronger than Gold” only provided the most basic protective function, which was why they had drifted down randomly.
Now that they were awake, they could control their own direction.
However, as soon as Feng Shi turned around, he felt that this posture was a billion times more awkward.
“…”
Which is to say.
He had only just realized it.
This artifact.
It was probably, possibly, perhaps a tiny bit… too ‘Flower Market’…
The two of them were pressed tightly against each other. With his chest brushing against Shen Songhe’s back, Feng Shi could even feel the subtle rise and fall of the youth’s breathing. The slightly scalding body temperature left them both with a light sheen of sweat.
“Um… how about you take the front?” Feng Shi acutely felt he shouldn’t be the one in this position.
Shen Songhe’s cheeks were tinged with pink. Ever since they entered, the heat radiating from his bright red ears hadn’t subsided.
Normally, he would obey Feng Shi unconditionally, but for some unknown reason this time, he didn’t want to agree. He even boldly reached out, his hands slowly wrapping around Feng Shi’s narrow, tight waist.
Feng Shi was extremely ticklish around his waist. Startled by the sudden touch, he couldn’t help but shiver, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, “What are you doing?”
Shen Songhe’s heart was pounding like a drum, yet his body acted out of his control, actively leaning closer to Feng Shi.
The space here was small, and both of them could clearly smell the scent lingering on each other’s bodies.
Although he was slightly shorter in stature, it didn’t stop Shen Songhe from resting his chin on Feng Shi’s shoulder.
In stark contrast to the burning heat in his heart, his voice was calm and aloof as it gently blew into Feng Shi’s ear: “I think this is quite nice…”
“…”
Feng Shi felt a bit awkward.
He barely shifted his body before he immediately felt the hands around his waist tighten, carrying a subconscious urge to control him.
“Heh…” Feng Shi chuckled aloud, a bit helpless. “You little brat! Are you rebelling against me?”
Anyone could hear from his tone that he wasn’t truly angry.
Shen Songhe knew this.
His heart was racing wildly, but a sudden surge of stubbornness arose from somewhere within him, and he kept his lips sealed, refusing to utter a word.
Feng Shi tilted his head, pulling back slightly to look at him.
The young Shen Songhe met his gaze as well. The misty depths of his eyes were unfathomable, yet they possessed a soul-stealing magnetism that could pull a person right in.
Damn it, he really has grown up.
He’s not cute at all anymore.
Feng Shi lamented inwardly. He freed one hand and pinched the boy’s no-longer-chubby cheek, finally compromising and dropping the subject of switching places.
The water here was bottomless. Due to the multitude of demonic fish living within it, the water was dyed a deep gray, preventing any outside light from piercing through.
Feng Shi and Shen Songhe took the lead, while Ruan Ping and Quan Xinghe followed behind.
Only after entering the water did they realize that this place wasn’t without an exit; it was simply hidden entirely underwater. After searching for a long time, Feng Shi finally found a fissure as black as the gaping maw of an abyss in the deepest depths.
[Host, it is right here.]
Qingqing appeared at the right moment to offer a reminder.
Feng Shi released his divine sense to investigate. Seeing that there were no latent dangers within the fissure other than demonic fish, he safely led the group through.
Passing through a brief tunnel, they arrived at another deep gray body of water similar to the last. The only difference was that this time, shimmering light pierced down from above.
Swimming upward in the direction of the light, they broke the surface shortly after.
The shore wasn’t far. Feng Shi leaped out of the water, gathered his qi, and landed gracefully. The artifacts around them deactivated accordingly.
However, even though “Stronger than Gold” had deactivated, the human pendant remained attached. A considerable force still bound Feng Shi’s waist.
“Ahem!” Feng Shi cleared his throat, dropping a hint.
The hands around his waist didn’t budge; they clung to him as firmly as ever.
Tsk. Left with no choice, Feng Shi lightly patted those hands, escalating from a hint to a direct command.
Only then did Shen Songhe seem to snap out of it. He quickly released his hands and obediently took a step back, standing properly.
Feng Shi turned around.
Shen Songhe, as if burdened by a guilty conscience, lowered his head, hiding his expression.
Feng Shi felt an itch in his heart to tease him, but before he could, Ruan Ping and Quan Xinghe emerged on the other side.
The moment they landed, a deafening argument broke out.
“You dead pervert! You stinking piece of trash!”
“You dare curse at this young master? Believe it or not, I’ll strangle you to death!”
“Strangle me! Do it! I dare you!”
“I… you… you just wait! I simply don’t have the strength right now!”
“Pah! Dead pervert! As soon as we get back, I’m writing you into a storybook so everyone can curse you together!”
Feng Shi: “…”
Shen Songhe: “…”
The two squabbled as if no one else was around, an eerie flush of embarrassment painted across both their faces. Goodness knows what had transpired to make someone as meek as Ruan Ping stand with his hands on his hips and hurl insults like a shrew.
However, Feng Shi quickly realized: This was his own fault.
So, this was absolutely not the time to interject.
The two bickered for ages, finally ending with an embarrassed and furious Ruan Ping stomping hard on Quan Xinghe’s feet twice.
Quan Xinghe hopped around clutching his foot, yelling in pain. Only then did Ruan Ping find a moment of peace. Coming back to his senses, his mouth formed a perfect ‘O’, and he looked at Feng Shi nervously. “Shixiong Liu… I…”
Feng Shi said simply, “You did very well.”
Immediately after, he spun around rapidly and raised a hand to interrupt Quan Xinghe’s incoming spell: “No need to thank me!”
Quan Xinghe, who had just been preparing to hurl curses: “…”
With the farce concluded, the four of them grew serious and began taking in their surroundings.
Compared to the other side, the water pool here looked much more like it was built for human leisure and fish-rearing. It was encircled by a stone balustrade and even featured a pavilion, looking incredibly elegant.
The rock ceiling above had been carved into a smoothly arched dome, painted black, and adorned with brightly colored murals.
“Wow—” Ruan Ping tossed all his previous anger to the back of his mind. He looked up and muttered, “This place is built so exquisitely. Could it be that someone still lives here?”
As soon as he said it, he frightened himself and couldn’t help shrinking his neck.
After all, they were deep underground, devoid of direct sunlight. All illumination came from pearls embedded in the walls and the eerie blue flames flickering in stone lanterns. It lacked a human touch and reeked of a ghostly atmosphere.
If someone truly lived here, they would have to be excessively bold.
Feng Shi tapped his fingers thoughtfully. “Actually, I think this place looks more like an underground palace.”
Hearing this, Ruan Ping seemed to realize something. He immediately whipped his head around, his tone brimming with excitement: “Could this be the opportunity Shixiong mentioned? Are Venerable Yuguang’s true treasures actually hidden here?!”
Feng Shi casually added a follow-up: “The kind built for the dead.”
The excitement on Ruan Ping’s face cracked. He looked at Feng Shi pitifully. “Shixiong, why do you always scare me…”
Feng Shi cast him a glance filled with paternal affection and said casually, “There, there, darling. I didn’t do it on purpose~”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he noticed that the surrounding atmosphere had suddenly fallen eerily silent.
Feng Shi glanced around. Three pairs of eyes were staring at him intently, each carrying a completely different emotion.
“…What’s wrong?”
Among guys, playing out a “father-and-son” dynamic was perfectly normal, wasn’t it?
Ruan Ping blinked blankly, looking a bit shy. “N-Nothing…”
Feng Shi then looked at Shen Songhe.
To his surprise, the youth actually avoided his gaze this time, turning his head away.
Feng Shi: ?
His face was a picture of confusion. It took him a long while to figure it out, and his expression grew somewhat complicated: Is this little free-range chicken actually jealous?
[Host, you really need to be a bit more mindful!]
Qingqing suddenly popped out like a ghost, speaking with a noticeable dialect.
Translator’s Note:
- “Flower Market” (海棠/Haitang): Refers to a specific Chinese web novel platform notorious for its highly explicit, unrestrictive, and often wild smut/erotica.
- “Playing out a father-and-son dynamic”: In modern Chinese internet slang, male friends often jokingly refer to themselves as each other’s “daddy” or call each other “son” to assert dominance or show affection in a bro-ish way.
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