Beneath the Nine-Story Ship Tower

The deck area of the Bronze Ship was vast.

The two of them followed the bulwark through the Nether Mist for nearly a kilometer before the Golden Crow's remains gradually came into view.

One of its feathered wings covered the Stele Forest on the deck, while the other rested atop the nine-story Ship Tower. Even a colossal beast like Nine-Infant seemed somewhat small in comparison.

It had died here who knew how many years ago, yet its corpse was not cold. It gleamed golden, with firelight flowing across it.

Even from a hundred meters away, they could feel waves of heat rolling toward them from the corpse.

Every feather on the Golden Crow's remains was dozens of times larger than an adult human body. Shimmering with dazzling light, they were breathtakingly beautiful. It was hard to imagine how resplendent it must have been while alive.

Could it truly, as in the myths and legends, transform into a sun that roamed the heavens and earth?

Its fatal wound was on its head, where an unknown sharp weapon had pierced through it, leaving behind a terrifying blood hole three meters long.

The Golden Crow Blood used for cultivation was drawn from a Blood Pool more than twenty meters in diameter beneath that wound. When first collected, the blood in the buckets was nearly as hot as boiling water and required special treatment before it could cool.

Li Weiyi stood at the edge of the Blood Pool and observed it. The Golden Crow's blood was bright red, carrying faint golden glimmers.

The scent of blood was thick, but not pungent.

Instead, it carried a fragrant blood qi aroma that made one's mouth water.

If not for the Golden Crow's fearsome reputation as the "Bird of Destruction," which inspired awe, the Research Team Members would have long since drunk their fill without restraint.

"No wonder they all want to drink it. Drinking Golden Crow Blood must be as fresh and delicious as eating roasted meat. And there's even the possibility of immortality. It really drives people mad."

Gao Huan could not help swallowing, then added, "If this were on Earth, a single drop of Golden Crow Blood appearing on the market would make every tycoon throw money around like dirt. Yet we have an entire pool here. Hurry up and use your handsome-man charm to ask Dr. Cai. Isn't there a saying at our university? If a junior wants his Senior Sister's love, he has to be either rich or handsome."

"You've got rhymes pouring out of your mouth. Are you trying to apply for... a PhD?" Li Weiyi asked with a smile.

Perhaps because he had just cultivated something Transcendent, his body urgently needed nourishment from higher-grade substances. The appetite growing within him was even stronger than Gao Huan's.

Even the scorching current in the sole of his right foot surged forth uncontrollably, flowing through all thirteen Trace Meridians as if urging him to quickly drink the Golden Crow Blood.

"The greater the temptation, the greater the danger."

Li Weiyi forced the scorching current back into his body and hurried away from the Blood Pool.

Elsewhere, the Black Flood Dragon had been severed into two halves by a sharp weapon. Its corpse was incredibly thick, towering far above Li Weiyi's height.

Its scales were like thick sheets of iron the size of palm-leaf fans, radiating an icy chill.

At the dragon's severed body, its blood had solidified into purplish-red ice crystals that had to be chiseled off with axes before being heated and melted.

Near the Black Flood Dragon's remains lay many Bone Humans in armor, scattered in every direction.

The six people from Laboratory 705 were gathered around one particularly unusual Bone Human, studying it as they sketched structural diagrams and recorded the inscriptions and patterns on its armor.

What made this Bone Human special was that its bones emitted a faint glow like Luminescent Stone. They had already become metallic, smooth to the touch and sounding like iron when tapped.

Hearing footsteps, all six members of Laboratory 705 turned in unison toward Li Weiyi and Gao Huan.

Gao Huan was naturally familiar with everyone. Smiling, he asked, "Director Yang, found anything?"

Among the six, the burly man carrying a Shotgun had a crew cut and stood nearly two meters tall. His hands tightened slightly, and his gaze was rather wary. Only after seeing that they were two injured people out for a stroll did he relax a little.

Clearly, every group had sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere aboard the Bronze Ship. They no longer trusted one another as they had before.

Director Yang was fairly amiable. Smiling, he said, "Those who died on this Bronze Ship were clearly no ordinary living beings. Science can hardly explain it. The armor on these human skeletons weighs at least a thousand jin. Even with all six of us working together, we can't move it."

"The weapons are also incredibly heavy. Even the lightest spear requires two people to barely lift it. Its density is extremely high, and we have no idea what material it is made of."

Li Weiyi very much wanted to try lifting the ancient spear on the ground, which was over three meters long. Yet after touching it with his fingers, he abandoned the idea and asked, "How did they die? This is too strange. Who killed them?"

"Could there be some unknown danger on this Bronze Ship?" Gao Huan asked.

Director Yang said, "We have observed this Bronze Ship with microscopes for years, and our conclusion is that the Golden Crow, the Black Flood Dragon, and these armored humans were all intruders. Most likely, they came seeking treasure, exploration, or possession. There must be some dangerous force aboard the ship that we cannot understand!"

Gao Huan asked curiously, "Aren't we intruders too? Why haven't we been killed?"

All six members of Laboratory 705 grew heavy-hearted.

Not being killed now did not mean they would not be killed later.

Li Weiyi guessed, "Perhaps we are too weak, or perhaps we have not violated any taboos within, which is why the danger has not descended upon us."

Director Yang clearly preferred that possibility. Suddenly thinking of something, he pointed ahead. "You see that nine-story Ship Tower, right? Pass through the narrow passage between the Ship Tower and the bulwark railing, and you'll reach the stern. There is an Ancient Garden there, with pavilions, halls, tall towers, covered walkways... It should be where the ship's owner lived."

Gao Huan said, "Director, do you think the ship's owner killed them?"

"One can only say that this is an extremely likely conjecture," Director Yang said.

Li Weiyi looked toward the Ship Tower. It was immensely grand, each level standing three or four zhang tall. Bathed in the radiance emitted by the Golden Crow's remains, it was deep red from top to bottom.

Strangely, large numbers of Humanoid Stone Statues had been placed beside the railings outside every level of the Ship Tower.

The cabin doors were all tightly shut, and no one knew what world lay hidden inside.

Stele Forest, graveyard, Ghost Flags, Figurines...

How did any of this resemble a normal ship?

Gao Huan said, "They have been dead for at least a thousand years, perhaps even longer. Even if the Bronze Ship's owner truly killed them, that owner must have passed away long ago."

Director Yang smiled. "Exactly. If the being capable of slaying the Golden Crow and the Black Flood Dragon were still alive, how could it possibly have allowed the Bronze Ship to remain stranded on Buddha's Sarira for a thousand years?"

"But Director, the Bronze Ship has set sail again!" a middle-aged woman with glasses from Laboratory 705 reminded him.

After Li Weiyi bid farewell to the people from Laboratory 705, he headed toward the Nine-Story Ship Tower.

Without approaching too closely, he stood more than ten meters away and looked toward the narrow passage leading to the stern.

The passage was filled with Nether Mist and packed with stone statues in all sorts of expressions and poses. A timid person would have long since felt chills crawling down their spine at such a sight and fled far away.

The passage was extremely dark, and the stern could not be seen.

"The Immortal Radiance I saw should have come from the Ancient Garden Director Yang mentioned. What kind of place is that?" Li Weiyi's curiosity had been stirred, but instinctively, he felt that something was amiss.

Gao Huan followed after him excitedly. "The owner of the Bronze Ship must be extraordinary. There might be immortal pills and divine medicine in his residence. Li, shall we sneak over and take a look?"

Li Weiyi noticed something. He took two steps forward, then crouched down.

There was a patch of dried, blackened blood on the ground.

He extended a finger, smeared it across the bloodstain, and raised it to his nose for a careful sniff.

Li Weiyi abruptly raised his head and looked again toward the deep, shadowy passage. His expression turned incomparably vigilant and grave as he asked, "After we fell onto the Bronze Ship, did we ever see that Bear-like creature?"

"You mean the Ghost Bear Emperor? Why ask that all of a sudden?" Gao Huan said.

Li Weiyi said, "The entire Research Team, including the Dragon Extreme, fell onto the Bronze Ship. How could the bear-like creature... the Ghost Bear Emperor, as you call it, have been an exception?"

"That's true. It is a little strange... But if it fell onto the ship, it's already been five days. How could it still not have come out to look for food?" Gao Huan asked.

"It may be aboard the ship."

Li Weiyi pointed at the dried black bloodstain on the ground. "This is its blood! It must have been seriously injured, which is why it is hiding for the time being."

"How do you know this is blood it left behind?"

Gao Huan was curious, doubtful, and beginning to grow nervous.

Li Weiyi did not know how to explain it, because only after cultivating something Transcendent had his sense of smell greatly increased, allowing him to distinguish the scent of the Ghost Bear Emperor's blood.

From afar came a familiar voice. "Are you two looking to die? What are you doing here?"

"Doctor Qi, we were taking a walk... hehehe."

Gao Huan hurriedly forced a smile.

"Is this a place for walking? One of you has a broken right arm, the other an injured left shoulder. You two are crippled and incomplete. Get back to the Medical Tent at once," Qi Shanshan snapped coldly.

Li Weiyi had heard Qi Shanshan's footsteps long ago, so he was not surprised at all. Rising to his feet, he joined Gao Huan in smiling ingratiatingly. "Director Yang told us there is an Ancient Garden at the stern. We were discussing whether there might be immortal pills or divine medicine there. Maybe one pill would heal all our injuries!"

Qi Shanshan was a woman who cared deeply about her appearance. Even in such an environment, she still wore exquisite makeup. Her skin was snowy white and translucent, her cheeks rosy, her lips red. Her white doctor's coat was spotless, and she even wore high heels, with flesh-colored white stockings matching her skin tone on her legs.

She was over 1.7 meters tall, with a slender waist and excellent curves at her chest and hips. The third and fourth buttons of her light-blue shirt underneath were stretched tight. In short, she was exceptionally feminine.

Thus, even when scolding them coldly, her voice was more charming and magnetic than Cai Yutong's, lacking that aggressive pressure that bore down on people.

Qi Shanshan furrowed her delicate brows. "Didn't he tell you that place is dangerous? Four Research Team Members have already gone in to explore, one after another, but after entering the Ship Tower passage, none of them ever returned."

Li Weiyi and Gao Huan exchanged a glance, both dumbstruck.

Director Yang had looked kind and benevolent, warm and friendly. Who would have thought he was such an old schemer?

If Li Weiyi had not discovered the Ghost Bear Emperor's bloodstain on the ground, and if Qi Shanshan had not happened to come looking for them, the two of them might have followed in the footsteps of those four Research Team Members.

Qi Shanshan's full chest rose and fell violently. So angry that she pressed a hand to her forehead, she said, "You two really are children who have never stepped beyond the school gates. You're far too naive! Li Weiyi, don't you know everyone suspects Buddha's Sarira is on you? Director Yang values the sarira more than his own life. He must have wanted to use this chance to test you."

Like he was avoiding a plague god, Gao Huan quickly pulled away from Li Weiyi. "Li, I nearly got dragged down by you and died without ever knowing why."

Qi Shanshan glared at him. "You would deserve it if you died! Li Weiyi is only a freshman and has no social experience, so it is understandable that he was deceived. But you are already in your third year of graduate school. Don't you have even a shred of vigilance? If something good really existed, would others kindly tell you about it?"

Gao Huan was not angry in the slightest. It seemed that being scolded by Qi Shanshan was something that made him happy. Suddenly, he smiled as though presenting a treasure. "Doctor Qi, we made a major discovery! This patch of dried blood was probably left by the Ghost Bear Emperor."

Qi Shanshan rolled her eyes. "That bloodstain was discovered the day before yesterday and tested already. It was left by that Bear-like creature. The four Research Team Members who entered the Nine-Story Ship Tower passage to investigate were probably eaten by it. Leave this place immediately. No one knows when that Bear-like creature's injuries will heal. Once it comes out, with the little ammunition we have left... Sigh, everything is up to fate!"

Li Weiyi was deeply worried as well.

The Ghost Bear Emperor was very likely also a Transcendent creature. That was why it possessed such terrifying speed and physique, and its healing ability should not be any slower than his.

It had three more days than Li Weiyi to recover. Even if its injuries had been worse, it had probably healed seventy or eighty percent by now.

Li Weiyi and Gao Huan hurriedly followed Qi Shanshan back, wanting only to get away from the Nine-Story Ship Tower as quickly as possible.

Qi Shanshan's legs were long and slender, her footsteps clicking rhythmically as she walked.

Li Weiyi asked, "Since we have confirmed it is that creature, why not gather all the guns, ammunition, and weapons, then eliminate it before its injuries heal?"

"That Bear-like creature is incredibly powerful. When it was out in the open, we could not handle it even with plenty of ammunition. Now that it is hiding in the dark, it is even harder to deal with. That is the first reason!"

Qi Shanshan's eyes were cold as she continued, "Second, everyone knows facing it means nine chances of death out of ten. How many people would dare go?"

"Third, there are only three guns on the ship, and ammunition is limited. Everyone regards them as weapons for maintaining their own status and power. Without weapons, who would still respect them?"

"If we die, we die together."

"But losing status and power is more unbearable than death."

"In a word, people's hearts are not united, and everyone harbors their own schemes. Nothing can be accomplished."

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