Chapter 84

When a large temptation has been placed in front of you, so close that it was as though there were countless buried precious metals and gems in the ground under your feet, if there was the additional allure of eternal life, could you refuse?

Naturally, in this world, there were surely people who would refuse this kind of temptation. But for the overwhelming majority, especially for those who would rob a tomb, for those who, every time they went below ground, took risks ¹ such that they faced the chance of losing their life to danger at any time, wasn’t this simply what it meant to be a tomb robber?  Only by facing great danger could there be great profit.

Old Bao’s words changed the minds of everyone who had wanted to leave this mountain. Clearly the men found the knowledge that the old tomb was on this mountain more attractive than not knowing whether or not something dangerous would happen ² . And actually a lot of them thought that they would get immortality and survive!

Everyone harbored ulterior motives, selfishly scheming in their hearts. In the end, no one chose to leave.

Su Lao had already reached a great age. Not only had his body begun to weaken but, since he often plundered others’ ancestral tombs, his entire bearing was unconsciously sinister. Su Lao had promised his old friends that he would come here and search for eternal life. Naturally, this wasn’t only for the sake of his old friends and friendships but, well, everyone sure understands most of the reason. However, if it is unclear, then don’t pay it any mind.

Liu Zhixin actually wanted to leave. He certainly didn’t have a keen intuition like Zhou Feng but, since he’d just recently shot a silver snake, Liu Zhixin felt his eyelids continuously twitch. As time passed, not only did his eyelids not stop twitching, the twitching got worse. Liu Zhixin was very afraid. It was only in recent years that he began to follow Su Lao, and he had only followed Su Lao twice below ground. Entering this snake tomb made it his third time. His mentality was still far from that of a seasoned tomb robber’s tenacity and, similarly, he wasn’t as avaricious as they were. Liu Zhixin only wanted to leave. He was still young, and there was absolutely no need for him to look for something that could possibly grant him long life. Moreover, he wasn’t convinced that something that could grant immortality even really existed. Something that granted long life surely defied the natural order and was something that absolutely shouldn’t exist in the world.

But Su Lao undoubtedly wouldn’t leave. He was determined to obtain the thing that could give someone eternal life. And so, as Su Lao’s apprentice, Liu Zhixin couldn’t leave. Moreover, there hadn’t been many out of the twenty three people who had wanted to leave. With only the strength of the few people who wanted to leave, was it really possible for them to leave the snake tomb? Liu Zhixin had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue following the large group.

Since all agreed that the old tomb was on this mountain, everyone slowed down. Since they weren’t walking as far everyday, most of the time was spent looking for traces of the old tomb. However, and causing snakes (or humans) to be torn between laughter and tears, the place Liu Zhixin’s team was heading towards was also the place where Yin Xiaoxiao was.

After receiving Mo Laoda’s order, one after another, vipers began to gather around Yin Xiaoxiao. After these vipers’ hurried arrival, during the day, Mo Laoda discussed things with the vipers who then left and returned.

Mo Laoda left when it was already evening. Fortunately, for a viper, nighttime was of no concern. Ever since he took the Mo Grass, Mo Laoda was the fastest, and he set out at top speed for the bottom of the cliff.

Right as a cheetah was in the middle of chasing its prey, a sudden black wind blew past, carrying with it a strong eye-watering scent of viper. All the fur on the cheetah’s body stood on end. Holy shit! The wind that blew past just now, was it actually a viper?! When did such a powerful viper appear here?!

As Mo Laoda had said, with his speed it would only take half a day to arrive at the bottom of the cliff. Getting the Zhi Xue Grass would be even more simple. He only needed to ask for help from the strange snakes. Having gotten the Zhi Xue Grass, Mo Laoda would return, slithering back without stopping to rest.

Yin Xiaoxiao was very bored. Really, very bored.

Mo Damo didn’t like Yin Xiaoxiao, and Yin Xiaoxiao, likewise, didn’t like Mo Damo, so it was very normal that the two snakes didn’t speak. Bit by bit, vipers arrived, all looking serious, and they very conscientiously formed a circle with Yin Xiaoxiao at its center. Each one held fast to their jobs, and each viper thought in their hearts something along the lines of, ‘You dare injure our future Clan Husband! You humans are done for!’ As a result, none of the vipers who had gathered around Yin Xiaoxiao came up to chat with Yin Xiaoxiao.

Yin Xiaoxiao was left with no no other option but to lie with his upper body half on the ground and stare blankly ahead. That said, why was Mo Damo unfortunately still here? It would be so much better if it was Mo Dayi here! Or even if Mo Damo’s father were here! Why was it Mo Damo?!

As Yin Xiaoxiao was staring ahead with a blank look on his snake face and a mind full of complaints, Yin Xiaoxiao unwittingly fell asleep.

Perhaps because his injuries hadn’t yet healed, Yin Xiaoxiao slept deeply. When he awoke, it was already midday and he was lying in the shade of a tree. The left half of his body felt refreshingly cool. Yin Xiaoxiao looked at the left side of his body which, yesterday evening, had still been bleeding incessantly, to find that it had already been covered with a layer of medicinal herbs.

Yin Xiaoxiao stared down blankly then reacted. This must mean that Mo Laoda had returned.

“Xiaoxiao, are you feeling a little better?” Mo Laoda, who had been lying next to Yin Xiaoxiao, saw that Yin Xiaoxiao had awoken and moved so he could     kiss the corner of Yin Xiaoxiao’s eye.

Yin Xiaoxiao kissed the corner of Mo Laoda’s mouth. “After you got me the medicine, I feel a lot better. Heitan…I missed you,” by the time he finished speaking, Yin Xiaoxiao’s tone had more than a hint of grievance.

Mo Laoda was a little astonished. “What happened, Xiaoxiao?”

Yin Xiaoxiao shook his head and rubbed his tail along Mo Laoda’s body.

Now that Yin Xiaoxiao was out of danger, Mo Laoda felt like he had time to handle other matters. “Xiaoxiao, tell me. What’s happened?”

Without conscious thought, Yin Xiaoxiao’s tail swung as he thought about the situation. He said, “That day I went to the riverbank, I followed the river upstream, I’m not sure for how long, but I heard a sound behind me. When I got up and turned around, I saw a lone human pointing a gun at me. He fired. I wasn’t able to dodge and I fell into the river.”

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“Is that so?” Mo Laoda muttered to himself. “I fear that the humans have already left this mountain. However, no matter where they go, none of them shall escape!” Mo Laoda lowered his head, a sinister light flashing through his eyes. For daring to injure Xiaoxiao, regardless of whether they were human or snake, he absolutely wouldn’t let them get away with it!

Yin Xiaoxiao was just about to say something, when Mo Laoda suddenly lifted his head and looked off in a direction, a hint of sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. “I believe that I know where they are.”

Yin Xiaoxiao: “….?”

Mo Laoda’s voice was cold. “All snakes, hide yourselves. Wait until the humans arrive here then listen for my order to launch an attack on the humans!”

The vipers answered in unison, “Yes!”

Mo Laoda, in a low voice, said to Yin Xiaoxiao, “Xiaoxiao, climb onto me.”

Yin Xiaoxiao answered sincerely and obediently climbed onto Mo Laoda’s back. Mo Laoda carried Yin Xiaoxiao into the underbrush, set Yin Xiaoxiao down and said, “Xiaoxiao, I smell humans. These must be the humans who injured you. Hide here and don’t come out, understand?”

It turned out that, even though the humans had covered themselves with snake repelling chemicals or with chemicals meant to conceal body odor, since the humans were now so close to Mo Laoda, and since Mo Laoda’s sense of smell so greatly surpassed that of other vipers, Mo Laoda had discovered traces of humans and had even discovered that the humans were walking towards them.

Liu Zhixin walked at the back. Suddenly, his heart jumped. Liu Zhixin stopped walking and shouted to Su Lao in the front, “Master!”

“What is it?” Su Lao was still walking forwards and didn’t turn around.

Liu Zhixin hurried forward two steps until he was side by side with Su Lao, “Master, we must not go to look for that old tomb. Let’s go back. I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen up ahead.”

Su Lao spoke, displeased, “Zhixin, you have a bad feeling? But my intuition is that we are about to discover the old tomb. Are you the master or am I?”

Liu Zhixin sighed softly and didn’t continue to speak. His master still didn’t know? He was such a stubborn old man! As matters stood, it was useless to continue saying anything!

Old Bai was leading the team of humans ahead, and he had already entered the circle of snakes. The surrounding vipers breathed lightly and slowly to avoid making any noise that would cause the humans to find them.

Slowly, the entire team of humans entered the ring of vipers.

Walking ahead, Old Bai looked around and said, “There’s a lot of space here. We’ll rest here at noon today.”

One by one, everyone responded then started looking around for a place to sit.

The vipers waited all around in ambush: “…..”

Yin Xiaoxiao innocently raised his head and looked at Mo Laoda. Now what?

Mo Laoda placed his mouth near Yin Xiaoxiao’s ear. “Which human injured you?”

Yin Xiaoxiao quietly poked his head out to look around and found that the human who had injured him wasn’t sitting too far from the underbrush concealing him and Mo Laoda. Sitting next to him was an older man. Yin Xiaoxiao pointed with his mouth, indicating to Mo Laoda that the man who had injured him was sitting just over there. “It’s that young one.”

Mo Laoda glanced over and nodded to indicate that he understood.

Yin Xiaoxiao thought and then quietly said to Mo Laoda, “Heitan, you leave that person to me, okay?” Seeing the incredulous look being sent his way, Yin Xiaoxiao added, “Heitan, have you ever heard that living can be worse than death?” After saying this, Yin Xiaoxiao chuckled a little.

Mo Laoda suddenly understood and nodded his head.

Yin Xiaoxiao and Mo Laoda patiently hid in the underbrush, only listening to the man who had injured Yin Xiaoxiao conversing with the older man beside him.

“Master, we’d better leave.” Even now, Liu Zhixin still hadn’t given up trying to persuade Su Lao. “The information about this tomb might not even be true. Items that give long life can’t be so easy to obtain.”

Su Lao said, “Zhixin, no matter what, I am going into that tomb to investigate. I am not resigned with not going down and taking a look.”

“But Master, you…”

“Well, we’ve already come here. It’s too late to say anything else. Not only for me, but for everyone in this team, it’s already impossible to give up and leave.”

Yin Xiaoxiao rolled his eyes. So this old man was the master of the one who had injured him. Not only that, but he also wanted immortality. If that was the case…

“Heitan,” Yin Xiaoxiao whispered to Mo Laoda, “Also leave that old man. I have a better way of dealing with them…that’s right, after the fight starts, let the old man and the one who hurt me go, and don’t chase after them.”

Mo Laoda doubtfully looked at Yin Xiaoxiao, but ultimately promised. Now was not a good time to ask questions.

At this moment, the surrounded humans began to eat meals and drink water. Some men had even lay down in preparation for a nice rest.

Just as these humans lowered their guard, Mo Laoda shouted, “Go, now!”

T/N:

Footnotes

<ol>把脑袋别在裤腰带上: literally put your head on your waistband sentence restructured for clarity</ol>