Gu Cheng knew they were not completely out of danger yet.
The huge snake was only injured.
It was not dead.
So he hurriedly swam toward the shore.
After a few dog-paddle strokes,
he finally reached the bank. Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang grabbed his arms and hauled him ashore.
Once he was out of the water, Gu Cheng's taut nerves finally relaxed.
His body immediately seemed to lose all its strength, and he could barely stand.
Luckily, Hu Bayi caught him in time.
Then he and Fatty Wang carried him over to the large bonfire.
Yingzi brought a towel and, fighting down her embarrassment, wiped his body dry.
Then she untied a gourd from her belt and offered Gu Cheng a drink.
Gu Cheng obediently took a big gulp.
The fiery liquor hit his throat, making him cough violently.
But as he coughed,
warmth began to spread through his body.
Together with the blazing fire, it finally brought a little warmth back to his freezing body.
"Hu, we can't stay here. We need to leave right away!"
Gu Cheng's voice was weak.
"You don't have to tell me!"
Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang were frantically packing their things nearby.
At Gu Cheng's words, Hu Bayi snapped back irritably.
Fatty Wang chimed in, "Young Master Gu, this time you've really earned my absolute respect."
"You know what?"
"When we saw that huge snake appear, we were all scared stiff."
"How could a snake get that big?! Has it become a spirit or something?!"
"If I'd been in the water, it would've eaten me by now."
"But not only were you unafraid, Young Master Gu, you actually fought it. Most importantly, you even seriously injured it."
"For that alone, you're my idol from now on, Young Master Gu."
Gu Cheng smiled.
He said nothing.
His whole body felt weak and sore, and he was mentally exhausted. All he wanted was somewhere to get a good night's sleep.
Beside him, Yingzi asked curiously, "Gu, what exactly was that monster? Was it really a snake? How could a snake be that big?! My father and I come here all the time, but we've never seen it."
Gu Cheng forced himself to stay alert and said, "It really was a snake!"
"More precisely, it was probably a Flood Dragon Serpent."
"Snakes are naturally spiritual creatures. In both the north and the south, there are legends about them becoming spirits and immortals."
"Throughout history, many places have witnessed mysterious phenomena-huge snakes undergoing heavenly tribulations, rivers churning for no apparent reason. People often mistake them for Dragons, but they're actually Flood Dragon Serpents."
"Our myths and legends have always spoken of snakes turning into Flood Dragons, and Flood Dragons turning into Dragons."
"The Records of Strange Events also says that a Hui becomes a Flood Dragon after five hundred years, a Flood Dragon becomes a Dragon after a thousand years, and a Dragon becomes a Horned Dragon after five hundred years, or a Winged Dragon after a thousand."
"A Hui is a snake."
Yingzi listened in stunned silence.
Even Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang were engrossed.
"Young Master Gu, are you saying Dragons really exist?"
Fatty Wang could not help asking.
"The world is vast and full of wonders. I wouldn't dare say they do or don't."
"But I can tell you this: if we don't leave now and that Flood Dragon Serpent comes ashore, we're all done for!"
At Gu Cheng's words, all three instinctively looked toward the lake.
Its surface had grown much calmer.
It no longer churned as it had before.
Even the blood in the water had gradually dispersed, leaving no visible trace of red.
Had they never seen that Flood Dragon Serpent,
they would have thought nothing of it. They might even have considered this a lovely spot, with beautiful mountains and clear water.
But now, the calmer the lake became, the more unnerving it felt.
"Leave the rest! Let's go!"
Hu Bayi's eyelid kept twitching.
He tossed the packed backpack in his hands to Fatty Wang, then came over to Gu Cheng.
By now, Gu Cheng had put his clothes back on.
But his body was still too weak for him to walk.
Hu Bayi turned around and hoisted Gu Cheng onto his back.
Fatty Wang and Yingzi carried the supply packs.
The four fled for their lives.
Not long after they left,
the lake suddenly began to churn.
Soon, an enormous snake's head emerged from the water...
More than an hour later.
Inside a cave.
Panting hard, Hu Bayi set Gu Cheng down on the ground, then lay down beside him, gulping for air.
Gu Cheng looked at him apologetically. "Hu, thanks for carrying me."
Hu Bayi was too busy catching his breath to bother answering.
Fatty Wang surveyed the cave curiously.
First, he peered into its dark depths.
Then he looked outside.
By now, night had fallen completely.
Strangely, there was no moon that night either.
Everywhere was so dark they could not see their hands in front of their faces.
Fatty Wang asked worriedly, "Is this place safe?"
Yingzi brought some dry firewood and grass out from inside the cave.
As she lit a fire, she said, "This used to be a leopard's den."
"Later, my father killed the leopard and took over the cave."
"Whenever we hunt around here, my father and I stay here. It should be fine."
Only then did Fatty Wang relax a little.
Once the fire was burning,
the cave immediately grew much warmer.
They took out some dry rations and ate them with water boiled over the fire, chatting as they ate.
"Hey, Young Master Gu, what exactly did you go into the water for?"
Fatty Wang suddenly asked.
Gu Cheng smiled and took the Golden Cup Longevity Fruit plant out from inside his clothes.
"For this!"