"Haah, ha..."
Heavy panting.
Bang!
Liang Qu crashed heavily to the ground. Dust rolled close to the floor, spreading evenly in all directions before settling.
"Water..."
"Master?"
Inside the cave mansion, Lao Mengyao, who had been moving empty wine jars, was greatly alarmed. She hurriedly crouched beside the Blood Ape. She wanted to help him up, stretched out her hands, yet had no idea where to grab.
It was too horrible to look at.
The blood-red fur covering his body had dried up like yellow grass in late autumn, ready to shatter beneath a single step. His originally towering three-zhang body had turned into a desiccated corpse, gaunt beyond measure. His right arm especially was so thin that little remained besides thick bone, all flesh and blood gone. If it became any thinner, even the marrow inside would have to be sucked out.
The banquet had only just ended, with all the guests thoroughly satisfied.
In less than a quarter of an hour, where had Master gone? How had he become like this?
"Water!"
Liang Qu gathered all his strength and rolled over to face the open courtyard. His chest rose and fell. With his eyes shut, he spat out a single word.
"Right, right!"
Lao Mengyao fetched an empty wine vat, filled it with clean water, and poured it fiercely into the Blood Ape's wide-open mouth. In one breath, she emptied three vats.
The rise and fall of Liang Qu's chest eased somewhat, but he still felt thirsty. Drawing in a breath, he said, "Not enough. Drag me into the pond."
Lao Mengyao set down the wine vat, hugged the Blood Ape's left arm, and struggled to drag him to the pond's edge.
Dry red fur fell all over the ground, then mysteriously vaporized and vanished.
Only when half