Chapter 903: Tiger's Lair and Dragon's Pond (Part )

After two hours of climbing mountains and crossing rivers, Pan Yuyin led Xunzhen and his party through miasma and fog, walked along the edge of poisonous vines and thorns, staggered on the muddy and black water, and shuttled between tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves...

The road is extremely remote, with mountains and rivers, and the most dangerous thing is the ruggedness.

The closer you get to the Tiger's Den, the more eerie the surrounding scenery becomes. Thousand-year-old trees tower into the sky, and huge vines as thick as human legs crisscross like a giant net entangled in the forest. Animal remains and poisonous insects crawling among the bones, chewing on "leftovers", can be seen everywhere, densely packed, and unscrupulously moving in the wet and muddy wilderness. The rotting and moldy vegetation exudes a sour and bitter strange smell. The desolate desolation without human habitation and the mess nurtured by nature are perfectly integrated, which makes people's hair stand on end and their scalps numb.

This trip was not only a great drain on physical strength, but also a torture that was almost devastating to the spirit. Even though Xunzhen and his companions were all martial artists and were much stronger than the frail Pan Yuyin, they walked in a more miserable state than Pan Yuyin, not only panting and sweating profusely, but also trembling with fear and panic.

At dusk, the trembling Xunzhen and his party finally passed through the miasma, poisonous insects, traps, and swamps, and successfully stepped into the one-mile tiger's den and dragon's pool, which was also the dark forest that made Pan Yuyin turn pale.

The environment here is just as Pan Yuyin said, deep and quiet, dark and depressing, cold and bleak.

Being in it is like being in the boundless Eighteen Levels of Hell, unable to tell east, south, west, front, back, left, or right.

As far as the eye can see, there is nothing but darkness and chaos, as if countless monsters are staring at him from the abyss. However, when he looks closely, he finds that the scenes in all directions are almost exactly the same, all empty and void.

What I heard was like the low cries of wronged souls from the depths of the underworld, or the wailing of thousands of ghosts who had been tortured by swords and fire. It was sometimes close, sometimes far away, sometimes looming, sometimes deafening, and sometimes dead silent.

The strange atmosphere gave rise to bizarre thoughts. For a moment, loneliness, fear, confusion, despair... it was as if all the negative and gloomy emotions in the world came out at once, filling everyone's heart irresistibly, making people feel frightened and sad for no reason.

"What a powerful illusion!" Xunzhen calmed down and asked Pan Yuyin, "This place is full of smoke and dust, desolate and horrible. Miss Pan has been in and out alone before, so... aren't you afraid?"

"To be honest, I have asked Seniors Huang and Mei the same question. Miss Xunzhen, do you know how they answered?"

"Appreciate further details."

"They say it's not scary here, but it's very peaceful."

"Easy?" Abaolu was stunned, subconsciously looked around, and pouted, "If you are not careful, you will die. This is considered comfortable?"

"That's right! Because this place is sparsely populated and there is no fame or fortune." Pan Yuyin explained, "The two elders believe that the most terrifying thing in the world is not poisonous insects and miasma, nor is it darkness and desolation, but the human heart filled with selfishness, greed and endless desires. There is no deception or scheming here, and you don't have to flatter or read other people's faces. They live here without restraint, do as they please, and naturally enjoy a comfortable life."

"As expected of the 'Exiled Immortals of the Two Houses', their realms are indeed different." Xunzhen was filled with emotion, and then he looked up and said, "Miss Pan, where should we go next?"

"This..." Pan Yuyin was stunned and said awkwardly, "Wait!"

"Wait?" Xunzhen looked surprised. "Wait for whom?"

"We'll wait for Senior Huang Yangming or Senior Mei Zichuan to come pick us up," Pan Yuyin replied. "Although the Tiger's Lair and Dragon's Pond are within easy reach, this dense forest is intricate and full of traps. Without their guidance... we won't be able to get out at all."

Tang Afu frowned and asked suspiciously, "If they don't show up for ten days or half a month, won't we starve to death?"

"Will not!"

Pan Yuyin took out a clay xun from her bag, held it in her palm under everyone's curious and expectant gazes, and then her almond eyes were deep and her cheeks were light. In an instant, a simple, rich, sad and melodious melody quietly emerged, like crying, complaining, resentful and longing, floating in the wind in this isolated and desolate forest.

The music of the xiao is like the wind, silently seeping into the heart and gradually calming the complex mood that is fluctuating like ripples.

The music of the xiao is like water, reaching directly into the soul bit by bit, slowly extinguishing the greed, anger, ignorance and delusion that are as restless as a raging fire.

This heart-breaking song of vicissitudes of life makes people abandon all selfish thoughts, worries and fears in a trance, gradually return to nature, and find a long-lost tranquility in the danger-ridden tiger's den.

Everyone was intoxicated by the music, as if they were hearing heavenly music. They were still immersed in it and could not extricate themselves from it until the end of the music.

Even Liu Xunyi, who was exhausted and sleeping soundly, seemed to be deeply moved by Pan Yuyin's xiao music, and couldn't help but shed two lines of tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Miss Pan is beautiful and intelligent, with both talent and beauty."

Hearing Xunzhen's praise, Pan Yuyin couldn't help but blush, and said modestly: "Thank you for your praise, Miss Xunzhen. I am sorry to show you my humility."

"where……"

"Yuyin girl, are you back?"

Before Xunzhen could respond, a cold and old voice suddenly came from the depths of the dense forest. Then, a slightly hunched figure approached from afar, strolling leisurely with a cane.

"Senior Mei!" Pan Yuyin was immediately delighted when she saw Mei Zichuan. She quickly stepped forward and asked about his well-being in a barrage of words: "How are Senior Mei and Senior Huang doing recently? How is Bao'er? Master..."

"Okay, okay, everything is fine with us." Facing the kind and enthusiastic Pan Yuyin, Mei Zichuan changed his usual seriousness and raised a rare smile. "During the time you were away, Baoer kept crying for you, and your master was so worried that he couldn't sleep or eat. Girl, although Huaying is serious in front of you, she actually loves you very much. During the time you were away, she told me more than once that she regretted letting you leave alone."

"Master..." Pan Yuyin was moved and ashamed, and couldn't help but have tears in her eyes. "It's my fault. I should have come back earlier so that she wouldn't worry about me."

"Hey! There's no need to talk about the past. Your safe return is more important than anything else."

"Senior Mei is absolutely right."

"Let's go back..."

I wonder if Mei Zichuan’s eyesight is blurry and she didn’t see Xunzhen and the others, or if she is pretending to be ignorant? At this moment, she tightly grasps Pan Yuyin’s wrist, trying to turn around and leave as if nothing happened.

"Wait a minute, senior!" Pan Yuyin, who was horrified, tried to dissuade him, "I have several friends here."

"friend?"

Mei Zichuan frowned, looked at Xunzhen and the others with a scrutinizing gaze, and asked in a hostile tone: "Who are you? Why did you come to my tiger's den and dragon's lair?"

"My name is Xunzhen, nice to meet you, Senior Mei!" Facing the arrogant Mei Zichuan, Xunzhen bowed to her without being servile or overbearing. While introducing herself, she did not forget to introduce others, "They are Abaolu, Xiao Yang, Su Hu, and Xun Budao, who came with me. The next one is the 'ruthless swordsman' Tang Afu, who came here to visit Granny Taohua on the orders of the Lord of Jueqing Valley. The person sitting on the bamboo sedan is..."

"Is that person Liu Xunyi from the Xianwang Mansion?" Mei Zichuan interrupted, "I remember that this guy was very successful in the martial arts world. How did he become like this today?"

Knowing that Mei Zichuan was asking this knowingly and meant to tease Liu Xunyi, Xunzhen couldn't help laughing but didn't point it out. He replied in all seriousness, "Senior, you have good eyesight. This person is Liu Xunyi. As the saying goes, 'A person's fortunes change from day to day, and the moon waxes and wanes'. In the past two years, he was indeed at the peak of his career in the Central Plains martial arts world. It's a pity that he was young and hot-tempered and made too many enemies. Now he is in disgrace and has lost all his fame and fortune. Not only has he lost all his fame and fortune, but he is also seriously injured and I'm afraid he will die at any moment."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Mei Zichuan's tone was pitiful and mocking, and he said with hidden meaning, "It really proves the saying 'everything changes'. Could it be that you have done too many evil things and now you are being punished?"

Seeing Mei Zichuan mocking the frustrated Liu Xunyi, Pan Yuyin felt mixed emotions and said hurriedly, "Senior Mei, Brother Liu is not what you think. Uncle Luo's death was not his fault..."

"Girl, Liu Xunyi has fallen from grace and power, and his reputation is in tatters, but you still want to protect him? It seems that what your master said is right, you are so deeply in love with Liu Xunyi... that you have lost your mind."

As soon as these words came out, Pan Yuyin's cheeks immediately turned red, and she scolded: "Senior Mei, please don't make fun of me. Brother Liu and I have absolutely no private relationship..."

"Since you have no personal feelings for him, you don't have to care about his life or death." Mei Zichuan said calmly, and then issued an order to expel Xunzhen and the others. "Tiger's Den Dragon's Pond is not a place for idle people. Outsiders cannot come in and out as they please. Therefore, go back to where you came from, and don't cause trouble for yourselves."

After saying that, Mei Zichuan forcefully dragged Pan Yuyin, who was trying hard to explain herself, and turned away.

"Wait a minute, senior!" Looking at the stubborn Mei Zichuan, Xunzhen felt anxious and said loudly, "We don't want to disturb you from your meditation, but Liu Xunyi is seriously injured and difficult to treat. We are really helpless and can only come to the Tiger's Lair to ask Granny Taohua for help. As long as Liu Xunyi recovers, we will leave immediately..."

"Hua Ying won't save him." Before Xun Zhen finished speaking, Mei Zichuan had already rejected her categorically, "She despises fighting in the martial arts world and hates fighting and killing. Liu Xunyi's injuries were obviously caused by fighting with others. Hua Ying will definitely not save such a person, because saving him will mean more fighting and more casualties."

"Senior Mei, Master knows Brother Liu, so maybe he will show some leniency..."

"Who doesn't know that Huaying is the best doctor in the world? There are countless people who know Huaying, and most of them are from the underworld. How many people have you seen her save?" Mei Zichuan said unhappily, "Girl, your master was worried about you in vain, how can you cause trouble for her as soon as you come back?"

"I……"

"No need to say more, just follow me back!"

"Wait!" Seeing that Mei Zichuan was arbitrary and unreasonable, Xunzhen had no choice but to make up his mind and said righteously, "Whether Granny Taohua is willing to save Liu Xunyi is her business, and it is not her senior's business to make the decision. We are here to seek medical treatment and save lives, not to do anything bad. If Granny Taohua is not in the tiger's den, we will never disturb her rashly."

Hearing this, Mei Zichuan paused, and under Pan Yuyin's anxious gaze, he asked without turning his head, "What do you mean by saying this? Are you accusing me of deliberately stopping Huaying from treating Liu Xunyi's injury?"

"I dare not!" Xunzhen showed no fear, and every word was precious. "I just hope that Liu Xunyi's life and death will be decided by Granny Taohua, not... others. Therefore, I dare to beg you, senior, to either let us enter the Tiger's Den and Dragon's Pond to discuss with Granny Taohua face to face. Or... send Granny Taohua out of Changbai Mountain and find another place for us."

Just these words made Mei Zichuan furious. She turned around suddenly, and her sharp eyes shot straight at Xunzhen, who was in a deep state of mind, like knives and swords.

"You are the first person who dares to threaten me in this place."

……

(End of this chapter)