Season 456 (Part 1 of 2)
Ji Hongxing crawled for a long time before finally making it back to the surface through that pitch-black passage. As he climbed out of the well, he muttered to himself, "Those who survive great calamities will surely have good fortune ahead."
He struggled to roll over and get to his feet. The night was cold and damp, the sky dim, and the muddy stench of Huangguan Land swept over him, mingled with the foul reek of blood.
It was enough to make anyone sick.
The bodies in the marsh had not been dealt with. They had already begun to rot and stink.
Ji Hongxing had no time to figure out who was who. All he could think about was getting away from there as quickly as possible.
He was too badly injured to use Wind Riding Technique, so he stumbled away as fast as he could. Just before dawn, he ran into a group of people. Ji Hongxing assumed they were a caravan working with the Underground Castle and had meant to hide, but a flying arrow struck him squarely and knocked him off his feet.
Ji Hongxing cursed inwardly. But when he recognized the person riding toward him, his panic turned to joy. "Sheng Zui! It's me! I'm Ji Hongxing!"
He was covered in blood and a sorry sight, impossible to recognize from a distance. Only when he lay on the ground with one hand raised, hoarsely shouting, did Sheng Zui finally recognize him.
When Sheng Zui got close, he dismounted and grabbed Ji Hongxing by the collar. "How did you end up looking like this?"
Ji Hongxing wheezed. "Help me up!"
Sheng Zui hauled him off the ground. Ji Hongxing took a waterskin from someone else and tipped his head back, gulping