dognovel Chapter 119, Nine Lifetimes: Exploring the Cursed Tomb, the Mad Doctor and Poison Master Rages Again
Chapter 119, Nine Lifetimes: Exploring the Cursed Tomb, the Mad Doctor and Poison Master Rages Again
Chapter 119 Exploring the Cursed Tomb, the Mad Doctor and Poison Master Rages Against a Mysterious Force
The mysterious man was completely subdued, like a crab bound tightly, its pincers unable to open, utterly powerless to resist. On the way back to the stronghold, the golden-masked man's restless heart began to race again. He puffed out his chest, his nostrils practically pointing to the sky, gripping a wooden stick tightly in his hand as if it were a divine weapon to command the world. He thrust it at the mysterious man with all his might, shouting in a hoarse voice, "Hey! You cowardly, sly fellow, like you crawled out of the deepest hell, weren't you so arrogant just now, your nostrils practically pointing to the sky? Now you're like a wilted eggplant—withered? Still trying to control the hearts of the people? Do you think the hearts of the people are your garden's crops, to be picked whenever you want? Are you the Jade Emperor?" "The Emperor has been born, and you think you're some kind of descendant of the heavens? Your arrogance knows no bounds! Justice will prevail. Take a good look in the mirror. You're such a coward, trying to manipulate people's hearts, and now you've been easily captured by my wicked schemes and are a prisoner. Try jumping around again, and I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget, showing you why flowers are so red!" His arrogant demeanor made it seem as if the whole world was at his feet; he was the peerless hero who dominated the martial world and saved the common people. The mysterious man, enraged, glared back fiercely, his eyes wide like copper bells, his gaze seeming to spit fire, as if he wanted to burn the golden-masked man to ashes.
The man in the golden mask trembled violently, like a quail struck by lightning. He darted behind the skinny man in black, still stubbornly refusing to admit defeat: "What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge your eyes out and use them as light bulbs, then force-feed you ten bottles of my special poison, so you can taste the agony of wishing for death! Believe me or not, I'll make you kneel and beg for mercy in a minute, crying more pitifully than a stray dog!" He looked exactly like a weak-willed thug, all bark and no bite, relying solely on his bravado to intimidate others, while his legs were trembling with fear.
Watching this farce, Luo Qingci couldn't help but roll her eyes, secretly thinking, "This golden-masked man is a real clown. He was so scared his legs were weak and his pants were almost wet, but now he's showing off, acting like he's the leader of the martial arts world, the best in the world." Thinking this, she strode forward and slapped the golden-masked man on the back of the head with a resounding "smack!" The force of the slap sent him staggering several steps forward, almost falling flat on his face, his mask askew. "Alright, alright, stop making a fool of yourself here. Hurry up and take him back. If he gets away, I'll throw you into a snake pit and let you have close contact with poisonous snakes, serving as their sparring partner every day!" She glared at the golden-masked man, her eyes filled with undeniable authority, as if to say, if you dare disobey, your fate will be even worse than this mysterious man's.
The masked man clutched his head, wincing in pain, his features contorted in agony. He muttered, "Grandma, you're too ruthless! My brilliant mind, capable of countless brilliant ideas, is practically turned into tofu pudding by you. If you keep hitting me like this, I'll become a complete idiot, how will I ever help you devise strategies to conquer the world again!" Despite his complaints, he didn't dare linger, sheepishly continuing to escort the mysterious man, secretly grumbling to himself, "When I become powerful and rise to prominence, I'll definitely find a chance to get revenge and let you taste what it's like to have your head smashed."
Upon returning to the base, Luo Qingci bound the mysterious man tightly to a chair like a rice dumpling, the ropes so tight they were impenetrable. Next, she surrounded him with various bottles and jars filled with colorful poisons, which glowed eerily in the dim light, like tiny universes ready to explode at any moment, or a group of menacing, predatory monsters.
She picked up a bottle emitting green smoke and slowly waved it in front of the mysterious man, a wicked smile spreading across her face. That smile carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine and made one's soul tremble, making her resemble the most evil witch from a fairy tale: "Tell me, besides trying to control people's hearts, what other schemes does your organization have? If you don't tell me, I'll force-feed you all these poisons, starting with 'Heart-Severing Powder,' then 'Bone-Corroding Pill,' and finally 'Ten Thousand Ants Devouring Heart Liquid.' I guarantee you'll taste a fate worse than death. Then you'll know how powerful I am! My poison formula..." "But it was found in an ancient tomb, in an even more mysterious ruin than yours, specifically designed to deal with stubborn and wicked guys like you." Upon hearing this, the mysterious man's face turned deathly pale, as if he had seen a ghost, but he still stubbornly insisted, "You won't get a single word out of me! I'd rather die than tell you! I won't help your evil scheme, you bastard, do you think I'm easily scared? You think you can fool me? Not so easy! I'm a man of iron, your little tricks won't work on me!" He looked like an extremely stubborn old man, impervious to reason, a stubborn mule.
The skinny man in black was stamping his feet anxiously, pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan, sweat rolling down his face and soaking his back. He quickly leaned close to Luo Qingci's ear and whispered, "Grandma, he's so stubborn, like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water. What if he's really determined not to talk? All those shady schemes will just be lost forever. We can't really kill him, can we? How about I give him a 'gentle' lesson? My newly learned 'tickling technique' might make him talk." Luo Qingci's lips curled into a smile full of confidence as she whispered back, "Don't worry, I have..." "I'll show you how to get him to talk. If he doesn't listen, he'll be sorry! My 'Truth-Telling Pill' is the result of eighty-one trials; its effects are top-notch. This pill combines the rarest poisons and immortal herbs in the world, specifically designed to deal with people like this—those who are filthy, vicious, and stubborn." With that, she turned and picked up a small bottle, deftly pouring out a pill. Like picking up a chick, she forcefully pried open the mysterious man's mouth and shoved the pill inside.
The mysterious man had just swallowed the pill when he felt a churning in his stomach, as if a thousand troops were rampaging inside, his internal organs were being torn apart, and his soul felt like it was about to be shaken out of his body. He looked at Luo Qingci in terror, his voice filled with a final, defiant tone: "You bitch, what did you give me? What do you want?! I warn you, don't do anything rash! You'd better let me go, or you'll be waiting for my organization to come and deal with you! They'll tear you to pieces, making you wish you were dead! Hahaha!" Luo Qingci laughed and said, "This is my newly developed 'Truth-Telling Soul-Sealing Pill.' After taking it, you'll involuntarily lock your soul and speak the truth. Now, I'll ask you one more time, besides wanting to control the hearts of the people, what other shady conspiracies does your organization have?" The mysterious man desperately tried to answer her. He resisted, trying to shut his mouth tightly, but it opened uncontrollably: "We... our organization has an even bigger plan. We're searching for another spirit pearl, one that possesses the power to control time. If the two pearls were to merge, we could control the entire world. This pearl's power can manipulate the hearts of all people and control the power of time, enough to overturn heaven and earth. At that time, the entire world will tremble beneath our feet! Hahaha!" The voice was filled with endless resentment, despair, and madness, as if he had already seen his success and the organization's grand ambition of controlling the world.
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped, their faces filled with shock. The man in the golden mask stared wide-eyed, his eyeballs almost popping out, and cried out anxiously, "Grandma, what should we do? If they succeed, not only us, but the whole world will suffer! The entire world will be in chaos! We won't even be able to sleep peacefully, and we might be treated as heartless puppets, forced to serve as slaves, suffering a fate worse than death! Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine, my hair stands on end! Grandma, what should we do?" Luo Qingci frowned, quickly calculating in her mind: "It seems we need to plan this matter as soon as possible. We absolutely cannot let them find the other spirit pearl. If they succeed, the world will never have peace, and the consequences will be unimaginable. We must quickly come up with a comprehensive plan to prevent their conspiracy from succeeding. Let's start with this ancient tomb..." Starting with the clues, we gradually disrupted their plans. "I refuse to believe that with my exceptional medical and poison skills and our group, we can't defeat an evil organization." She looked at the mysterious man and continued, "Where is the other spirit pearl? You'd better tell me the truth, or you'll be in big trouble! I still have eighteen kinds of poisons I haven't tested on you, each capable of inflicting different levels of pain." Although the mysterious man's face was contorted in pain, and his body trembled and struggled, he ultimately succumbed to the effects of the poison and mechanically answered truthfully, "In...in a cursed ancient tomb, filled with traps and guarded by divine beasts. Those beasts are incredibly powerful; going there is suicide! One swipe of its claw could turn you into mincemeat, and its roar could shatter your souls!"
Luo Qingci stood up, her eyes as resolute as steel, and shouted, "Let's go! We'll go to the ancient tomb! We absolutely cannot let their conspiracy succeed. Otherwise, the world will be thrown into chaos, the Heavenly Stems will be overthrown, and people's hearts will be in turmoil! No matter how many difficulties and dangers we face, we must resolve this matter! I want to see just how powerful the mechanisms and mythical beasts in this ancient tomb are, whether they can stop me, Luo Qingci, from advancing! I am a master of both medicine and poison; there are very few poisons in this world that I cannot cure, few traps that I cannot break. Unless I lose my life, I don't care what unorthodox methods, demons, monsters, or despicable schemes lie ahead. As long as I, Luo Qingci, live, even if I am shattered to pieces, I will rather die than submit! Since ancient times, only the bones of those who died unjustly remain; there are no..." "I have a soul that clings to life, preferring to die standing than live kneeling. Hardships and obstacles will only strengthen my courage, conspiracies will only accelerate my ability to adapt to adversity. I, Luo, may not be a good person, but the backbone ingrained in my blood, the resilience etched into my life, will not be easily compromised. I have my own unwavering beliefs and stance. Even if one day I am betrayed and killed by villains, it is because I am outmatched, and they will not extinguish my will. Even if this physical body is burned to ashes, it cannot burn away the soul and sincerity ingrained in my blood! I open my eyes from desolation, and I will be reborn from the ashes!" The golden-masked man, however, wore a mournful face, like a wronged little wife, his face almost drooping: "Grandma, what are you planning to do again..." "Going on an adventure? Another adventure? My little body can't take it. I almost lost my life last time, and who knows what trouble and danger we'll encounter this time? Maybe we won't come out alive. I don't want to die young! I haven't married yet, haven't enjoyed life enough! I'm dreaming of eating delicacies every day, surrounded by beautiful women." Luo Qingci glared at him and said coldly, "If you don't want to go, stay. But when we come back, you won't get anything. If we find any treasure, you won't get a share! You'll just watch us divide the spoils and reach the pinnacle of life." The man in the golden mask quickly waved his hands, "No, no, no, Grandma!" "Fine, I'll go! I'm just worried about you, my dear. How could I possibly let you risk your life? My loyalty to you is as clear as the sun and moon, as unwavering as heaven and earth!" Her expression changed faster than flipping through a book, but in her heart she thought, "Hmph, don't let me get my chance to get revenge. I'll go with you for now. Maybe we really will find treasure. You scoundrel, once I've seized all the treasure, let's see how you swagger with me then. When I have the treasure, I'll be the first to run away. Who will want to suffer with you? Holding the treasure, I'll live a carefree life, marrying a hundred or so wives, one on each side, wouldn't that be wonderful every day! Just thinking about it makes me so happy I could fly! Hehe..."
Luo Qingci gave a sly and wicked smile, the coldness in her eyes flashing by in an instant, too quick to catch, but her face remained impassive. In her heart, she thought, "Golden Fox, Golden Fox, you're being very naughty. You almost threw the abacus beads at my face. Your little schemes are practically written all over your face. Golden Fox, you really are a master of 'no zuo no die'!"
So, the group packed their bags and set off towards the cursed ancient tomb. Along the way, the man in the golden mask kept complaining, "Why does this bad luck keep coming one after another? I knew I shouldn't have come with you guys on this adventure. What sins have I committed? Following you around everywhere, and constantly nearly losing my life. My heart can't take it anymore! Every time I'm on edge, if this keeps up, I'll lose at least ten years of my life! I think my life isn't even over yet, I'll be worked to death on the road with you guys." The skinny man in black joked from the side, "Come on, if you hadn't come along, how would you have seen so many exciting things?" "Maybe you'll even find treasure! Then you'll be rich! You'll reach the pinnacle of life! You'll never have to suffer again, you'll enjoy all the riches and glory of this world!" The golden-masked man's eyes lit up, like a hungry wolf spotting its prey, his face instantly beaming with a smile: "Really? There's treasure? Such a good thing? Then I'll have to search carefully. Maybe I really can find a treasure even more powerful than the Five-Colored Spirit Pearl! Then I'll be set for life, haha! I'll hire a hundred maids to serve me, have women on my left and right, and eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow every day! Treasure, here I come..."
As they arrived at the ancient tomb, a sinister aura swept over them, like a layer of cold frost, instantly enveloping them. The man in the golden mask shrank back in fear, his voice trembling, his teeth chattering: "Grandma, this ancient tomb looks eerie. Could there be any danger? I feel like there are eyes watching us from the shadows. I'm getting really scared! Should we go back and prepare before exploring again? I think we should go back and bring more poison and weapons, otherwise going in is just suicide." Luo Qingci rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "If you're scared, go back. Don't nag me. Even if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, I can conquer it today. If you're so cowardly, don't follow me anymore! You can still go back now, but if you leave and miss the treasure, don't complain that I didn't tell you the chance." With that, she led the way into the ancient tomb, her imposing presence seemingly telling the world that she feared nothing, and even if there were mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, she could fight her way through. The group followed cautiously behind, barely daring to breathe, their steps as light as cats', afraid of disturbing something. As soon as they entered the ancient tomb, they heard a low, guttural roar, a sound that seemed to emanate from hell, sending chills down their spines. It was as if some ferocious beast was lurking in the shadows, watching them. A thrilling adventure was just beginning…