Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 865: Chapter 456: I’m Talking to You! Stop Right There!

"Yes, I’ve remembered it."

The bandit leader nodded.

"Yao Qing, what’s wrong?"

One of the Supreme Elders in a blue robe asked.

"Elder in blue, it’s nothing, just encountered an old friend."

Yao Qing casually explained.

"Oh? Who?"

The elder in blue asked.

"It’s him."

Yao Qing directly pointed at Gu Sheng beside her.

"Gu..."

Just as Yao Qing was about to call out Gu Sheng’s name, Gu Sheng interrupted, saying, "I’m Xiao Sheng, greetings to the elder in blue."

The elder in blue slightly nodded and didn’t say much.

"Is everything ready?"

The elder in blue turned his head to ask Yao Qing beside him.

"Everything is set, just waiting to open the gate to the dark river."

Yao Qing responded.

"Okay, prepare to open it."

The elder in blue gestured.

"Yes!"

With the response from the Shaking Light Sacred Land disciples guarding the entrance, the cave leading to the dark river opened.

"Rumble!"

As the cave slowly opened, a piercing cold wind howled out from the entrance.

The sensation was like whispers from another world, sending an involuntary shiver down one’s spine.

"Hiss..."

Standing in the crowd, Gu Sheng couldn’t help but tremble slightly.

That chilling feeling caused an unsettling unease in his heart.

"Heaven bless us... Heaven bless us..."

Gu Sheng silently prayed in his heart.

At this moment, Yao Qing’s gaze was resolute.

She surveyed the Shaking Light Sacred Land disciples around her, then loudly commanded, "Everyone, grab your rafts and prepare to enter the dark river."

"Yes!"

The disciples of the Shaking Light Sacred Land moved swiftly.

As for the bandits from the Carefree Gang, they retreated to the side.

Gu Sheng and several hundred mountain folks lined up in formation, fully prepared.

They carried the rafts prepared earlier on their shoulders, their expressions somewhat tense.

The dark river was a crucial secret route leading to the Northern Territory, full of untold dangers within.

But to survive, they had no choice but to press forward.

Gu Sheng picked up his raft, took a deep breath, and tried to steady his nerves.

Because once he entered the dark river, it would mean escaping the pursuit of the Ji family and gaining more freedom.

"Let’s go!"

Yao Qing’s voice rang out again.

She led the charge towards the entrance of the cave.

The crowd followed closely, and Gu Sheng also followed the group, stepping into the dark passageway.

The light inside the cave gradually dimmed, with only occasional faint glows from drops seeping down the rock walls.

Gu Sheng inhaled the damp and earthy scent in the air, feeling an oppressive atmosphere.

As they delved deeper, the passage gradually expanded.

Unknowingly, they arrived at a massive underground lake.

The lake’s surface was calm like a mirror, the potential dangers unknown.

"Line up, one by one!"

Yao Qing directed the disciples and mountain folks to place their rafts on the water, then jump aboard one by one.

Gu Sheng did the same, tossing his raft onto the water’s surface.

"Hiss... Damn..."

Gu Sheng was chilled by the dark river water.

The feeling was like falling into an icy river in the middle of winter in thin clothes.

Stimulating and shocking.

After stabilizing, Gu Sheng sat on the raft.

He gripped the edge of the raft tightly, praying in his heart.

"Is everyone ready?"

Yao Qing stood on the leading raft, her voice echoing in the vast underground space.

"Ready!"

Everyone responded in unison.

"Move out!"

Yao Qing waved her arm.

Her raft was the first to cut through the water, heading into the depths of the dark river.

Gu Sheng and the others followed closely.

The rafts rippled across the water’s surface, steering towards the unknown depths of the dark river.

"Splash, splash, splash!"

Suddenly, Gu Sheng felt the current seem to pick up.

"Everyone, be alert; there’s a rapid ahead!"

Yao Qing loudly reminded.

Upon hearing this, everyone grew even more tense.

Suddenly, the current became more turbulent.

The rafts swayed unsteadily in the rapids, nervous expressions on everyone’s faces.

A sudden surge of stronger rapids hit them.

"Splash, splash, splash!"

Several rafts instantly lost control, swept into the depths of the dark river.

The mountain folks on board panicked, their screams resounding.

"I want to go home! Oh no! I want to go home!"

"Spiritual Girl, please, let us go back!"

"Yes, I want to go back too! I don’t want to be in this damn place!"

...

Some of the terrified mountain folks already wished to retreat.

But now that they were here, turning back was more difficult than ever.

"Anyone else who dares to talk nonsense, I’ll cut them down right here!"

Suddenly, a burly man standing behind Yao Qing flashed a bright machete and coldly reprimanded.

Instantly, besides the sound of flowing water, there was only the tense breathing of the group above the dark river.

"Hold steady! Maintain formation!"

Yao Qing reminded.

Everyone else tried hard to steady their rafts, despite the fear in their hearts, no one dared to speak recklessly.

"Roar..."

Suddenly, a low and terrifying growl echoed from the depths of the dark river.

The sound reverberated in the enclosed space, causing everyone’s hearts to involuntarily tighten.

Several mountain folks grew more fearful.

"Did you hear that? What was that sound?"

"I don’t know... never heard it before."

"Could it be... could it be an end-time monster?"

A few whispered among themselves.

Yao Qing tightly gripped her raft and took a deep breath, preparing to encourage everyone to continue forward.

"Sploosh!!!"

Just then, massive waves suddenly arose on the dark river’s surface.

A red eye intermittently appeared under the water, incredibly eerie.

Its enormity and malicious aura instilled fear in everyone.

Yao Qing’s heart raced, and she abruptly wielded her divine power.

She sensed it—a giant serpent, a monster of immense power.

"Everyone be cautious, there’s a monster!"

Yao Qing loudly warned.

At the same time, her divine power surged.

The serpent’s eye fully emerged from the water, followed by its colossal body.

The red eyes flickered with a cruel light.

Yao Qing drew her sword, divine power coursing along its blade.

"Hiss!"

The serpent let out a deep growl,

and Yao Qing gripped the sword hilt tightly, her eyes filled with tension.

After all, she was just a servant with limited divine power.

Moreover, she knew that if she didn’t quickly deal with the serpent, more lives would be consumed.

"Everyone, be careful! Hold on to your rafts!"

Yao Qing’s warning echoed in the vast river valley.

But it was already too late...

The serpent’s body moved like a mobile mountain, a dragon-like presence.

Swoosh!

Its massive head rose high, then plunged back into the river.

"Everyone, retreat quickly!"

Yao Qing’s voice rang out once more.

By this time, her longsword was already unsheathed, divine power on its blade crackling like tiny electric serpents.

"Let me handle it!"

The burly man holding a machete roared, charging toward the serpent.

His actions were swift and powerful, seemingly unrivaled.

But compared to the serpent, his strength seemed pitifully small.

The serpent casually flicked its head, and the burly man was swallowed by its enormous maw.

Only his machete was left, dropped into the dark river.

This scene filled everyone present with boundless fear.

They began paddling their rafts to escape, hoping to survive.

But the serpent seemed unwilling to let them go.

"Splash, splash, splash!"

The serpent’s massive tail swept through the water, overturning several rafts.

The mountain folk on them screamed as they fell into the water, dragged to the riverbed by the serpent, never to surface again.

Yao Qing, seeing this, tightened her grip on her longsword.

She took a deep breath, her divine power surging like a tide, her body enveloped in a faint glow.