Shirley Yang retorted, "So many people just died because of you. You call that saving all living beings?"
Ying Caihong said, "They died for a higher faith!"
"They died for you, for all of us. They were great awakened ones!"
Ying Caihong's voice rose high, filled with compassion for saving humanity and a heartfelt cry.
Shirley Yang rolled her eyes, utterly speechless. Hu Bayi rubbed his nose in bewilderment, Big Gold Tooth stared up at the sky, and Wang Kaixuan scratched the back of his head.
Only Ying Caihong's subordinates behind her began praying with devout expressions, as though the burden of saving all living beings rested upon their shoulders.
Wang Kaixuan could not take it anymore and scoffed. "Are you all right in the head?"
Hu Bayi took a few steps forward and said, "Ma'am, I'm truly sorry, but the three of us have already washed our hands of this business. We can't take this job. You'd better take care of yourselves too."
"Let's go!" Hu Bayi turned to leave.
"Hey, Master Hu, Master Hu, don't go! Don't go!" Big Gold Tooth panicked. If Hu Bayi left, he would lose his share of the money.
Yoko said coldly, "How much do you want? Name your price. Stop putting on an act. Aren't you just a bunch of grave robbers?"
Xiao Hen raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yoko. Ying Caihong also reached out and patted Yoko on the shoulder. That had gone a little too far.
Mojin Xiaowei had never considered themselves comparable to grave robbers. Hu Bayi's face turned cold, while Wang Kaixuan widened his eyes and stepped forward. "What did you say? Grave robbers? Even grave robbers rank above the likes of you! What we do is mercilessly lash out at the feudal ruling class!"
"And you? You stab even your own people in the back. What the hell are you?" Wang Kaixuan looked disdainfully at Ying Caihong and Yoko's group. Xiao Hen quietly shifted two steps to the side.
Shirley Yang smiled faintly and said, "This is the Supreme Master, Ying Caihong. She was born in Sichuan Province, with one black eye and one yellow eye from birth. She could see ghosts and spirits, yet the villagers regarded her as an omen of misfortune. Later, she was adopted by a wealthy Japanese merchant, and the two had an ambiguous relationship. After the merchant died, you vanished. Rumor had it that you had been hospitalized with a serious illness. A few years later, you suddenly reappeared, claiming to have attained enlightenment through cultivation in the Himalayas and to be capable of saving all living beings. You returned to Hong Kong and founded the Global Spirit Cultivation Society, taking aristocrats and wealthy tycoons as disciples for exorbitant fees!" Shirley Yang clearly knew Ying Caihong well, rattling off her identity and organization in one breath.
The moment Big Gold Tooth heard that, he knew things were bad. They absolutely could not anger the other side. He hurried forward to smooth things over. "Shirley, Shirley, why bring all that up?"
"Sis—no, Boss Ying, please don't take it to heart!" Big Gold Tooth said with a smile. "Our little sister just likes getting to the bottom of things, but she definitely means you no harm. Look, our cooperation has only just begun. Let's not hurt the harmony between us, all right?"
Bang!
Ying Caihong had worn a smile the entire time, but now she casually raised her gun and shot Big Gold Tooth in the leg as he babbled on.
Big Gold Tooth's eyes flew wide open. Clutching his leg, he fell to the ground.
"You... what are you doing?" Wang Kaixuan angrily demanded, raising his shovel.
Hu Bayi and Shirley Yang also stood beside Wang Kaixuan, glaring furiously at Ying Caihong.
Ying Caihong pointed her gun at Big Gold Tooth's head. "Find the Goddess's Coffin before dawn, and I'll treat his wound. If you can't find it, then... heh heh..."
"You..." Hu Bayi and the others were furious, their eyes blazing as they stared at Ying Caihong.
Xiao Hen turned to look into the distance. The scouts Ying Caihong had sent out earlier had returned. Xiao Hen knew that since Hu Bayi had said this was the Gate of Life, there had to be a way out. It could not be a dead-end cliff.
"President, there's a bridge ahead..."
Delight appeared on Ying Caihong's face. She nodded. "Move!"
Wang Kaixuan carried Big Gold Tooth on his back and advanced under the guns of Ying Caihong's subordinates. Hu Bayi and Shirley Yang had no choice but to follow.
Xiao Hen walked beside Ying Caihong, following the wooden plank bridge along the mountain wall. The bridge creaked beneath their feet. He felt a little uneasy and leaned over to glance below. A green-glowing river flowed beneath them. If someone fell in, even if they did not drown, they would be trapped down there and eventually starve to death.
The group continued along the plank bridge built against the mountain wall. After walking for quite some time, they finally arrived before a suspension bridge.
"Follow me, all of you. Don't rush!" Hu Bayi said over his shoulder, then led Shirley Yang and Wang Kaixuan onto the suspension bridge.
"Supreme Master, we should follow them too." Xiao Hen took the lead, following behind the three as they headed toward the suspension bridge.
The suspension bridge swayed back and forth. Xiao Hen felt somewhat worried. This bridge might have been built centuries ago. If it broke, they would be done for.
The group crossed the suspension bridge and reached a pillar platform ahead. At that moment, Hu Bayi stopped, because three more suspension bridges extended from the platform.
At a glance, the three suspension bridges led to three different pillar platforms ahead. Looking closer, they saw countless pillar platforms hovering over the river, densely packed and breathtaking.
"Which path are we supposed to take?" someone behind them asked in confusion.
"That depends on the skills of these Mojin Xiaowei," Xiao Hen said quietly. "Supreme Master, tell them not to act recklessly. This tomb passage is full of traps. Carelessness will get people killed."
Ying Caihong glanced at Xiao Hen and said softly, "Mr. Xiao, you only need to protect me. I have my own plans for everything else."
Xiao Hen froze, then sneered inwardly, though he nodded obediently on the surface.
Ying Caihong tilted her chin. The two people beside her immediately nodded, then stepped forward, preparing to board a suspension bridge.
Hu Bayi was startled and shouted, "Don't! Don't go up yet!"
Wang Kaixuan also panicked. "Hey! What are you doing? Don't mess around!"
However, the two ignored their warnings and stepped onto the suspension bridge anyway. Holding flashlights, they shone them down the path ahead and began cautiously feeling their way forward.
Xiao Hen watched them advance with cold eyes. He could clearly see green flames gradually igniting around their feet. Heh, courting death.
The two men on the suspension bridge evidently noticed something was wrong as well. As the flames around their feet rose higher, the scorching fire burned their legs, filling them with terror.
The two screamed and slapped at the flames on their legs, but the fire was not so easily extinguished.
Aah!
One man cried out as he fell into the river below. The other, terrified, turned and ran back. Unfortunately, the flames were too fierce. After he ran back onto the pillar platform, he collapsed to the ground and was burned to ashes, leaving only his head rolling across the floor.
Hu Bayi calmly crouched down to study the suspension bridge. Then he stood and said, "This bridge was built with a kind of Phosphorus Stone. The tomb owner wanted intruders to set themselves on fire. Do you really still want to continue?"
Ying Caihong showed no grief whatsoever over her subordinates' deaths. She merely smiled. "This is Heaven's test for us. We have long since cast aside life and death. Mojin Xiaowei, hurry and get us through."
Hu Bayi stared silently at Ying Caihong, who only smiled back at him.
"Humph!" Hu Bayi turned away and carefully studied the surrounding area.
"Look at the bridge we just crossed. What do these broken planks resemble?" Hu Bayi pointed at the bridge deck and asked Shirley Yang.
Shirley Yang's eyes lit up. After taking a closer look, she muttered, "Broken, unbroken, broken... Bagua. This bridge deck is arranged according to the Bagua."
"The code for crossing lies within these trigrams!" Hu Bayi smiled faintly, lowered his head to the Luopan in his hand, and softly chanted:
"Seek dragons, divide gold, read the encircling mountains; each encirclement is another pass."
"If the gate holds eight layers of peril, it cannot escape the yin-yang Bagua form."
"Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui divide the Four Symbols; Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun contain the eight directions."
"Among the eight directions are Gates of Life and Death; mountain and marsh connect qi, wind and thunder clash."
"Northwest... east... south... southeast..."
Hu Bayi raised his head and looked toward the countless pillar platforms. "Follow the direction represented by the Bagua. Go northwest!"
Hu Bayi turned to Ying Caihong. "After you."
Ying Caihong extended a hand. "You go first."
Hu Bayi and the others snickered, then turned and stepped onto the suspension bridge leading northwest.
Before you continue