"There are many empty rooms in the Underground City. Whoever occupies one owns it. But only if you can hold on to it."
Zhou Jin stopped at a downward stairwell. The lantern light shone over the stairs. They were very steep, the steps very narrow, only wide enough for one person to pass.
"From here down to the one hundred and fiftieth floor is the main activity area of the Earth-Splitting Lizards. The kind of monster beast you ran into yesterday is everywhere on this floor. Stay close to me. Don't fall behind."
Zhou Jin went down the stairs, and Lin Taichu followed behind him.
The staircase was very long. It took about half an incense stick's time to reach the bottom. At the foot was a small platform, and in front of the platform was a narrow passage. The rock walls on both sides of the passage were covered in Claw Marks.
Zhou Jin carried the lantern into the passage. Before they had gone fifty steps, a rustling sound came from ahead. It was not loud, but very dense, like many tiny things crawling.
Zhao Feng tightened his grip on his saber hilt.
"What is it?"
Zhou Jin did not answer. He quickened his pace. The lantern light shone forward, and an open space appeared at the end of the passage. The rustling was coming from that space.
Lin Taichu walked to the mouth of the passage and saw the scene in the open space.
The ground was crawling densely with Earth-Splitting Lizards. Not just a few like the ones they had encountered yesterday, but dozens of them, large and small, packed together, crawling back and forth through the space.
Lin Taichu made a rough count. There were at least forty.
Zhao Feng's breathing grew rapid.
"More than forty."