The two descended into the dry well one after the other. The moss on its walls was slick and sticky, carrying the stale, fishy smell of old water. Their toes touched the bottom with soft thuds. The earth beneath their feet was loose and damp, clearly having been soaked in water for a long time.
Li Bufan glanced up. The opening overhead had shrunk to a round spot of light hanging far above. Faint daylight leaked through it, illuminating a few withered vine roots dangling from the walls. Below that, only boundless darkness remained, enveloping him.
Meng Xinghe held the compass in his palm. Its gentle white glow illuminated everything within three to five zhang with perfect clarity.
The bottom of the well was not a dead end. Directly ahead, an arched opening half a person's height led deeper underground. The bricks and stones around its edges were unevenly broken, as though something had forcibly smashed through from inside.
Meng Xinghe bent down and slipped through the opening, with Li Bufan close behind. Beyond it lay a narrow passage, its floor and walls built from rough stone. Water stains and moss covered the walls. In places, the masonry had loosened and fallen away, exposing the earth behind it.
After they had walked some thirty to forty zhang, the passage suddenly widened. The ground also changed from soft earth to a layer of compacted gravel.
Meng Xinghe glanced down at the Seeking-Demon Compass in his palm. The crystal on it shone blue, a little brighter than before, its light extending steadily into the darkness ahead.
His brows drew together slightly as he transmitted his voice to Li Bufan. "Brother Li, I'm afraid we've got a big one this time."
Without slowing his steps, Li Bufan replied through voice transmission, "What makes