With open arms, we waited for about ten minutes, feeling the warmth radiating from White Ruoxue's body even upon a gentle touch.
"Xiao Jing, I apologize once again."
"White Ruoxue, my apologies once more."
I shed my own garments, experiencing the chill that penetrated my bones, causing goosebumps to rise across my flesh.
Reaching beneath White Ruoxue's neck, I lifted her into my embrace, pressing her closely against my frame.
As our skin made contact, it was as though an electric current surged through me.
By the heavens, the conscience of a gentleman. I swear I harbor no ulterior motive; my actions stem from altruism, sacrificing myself to save another.
In truth, this act is rooted in a theory.
During my academic years, I held a particular fondness for the refined verses of the Gongzi, an honorific title for the Qing Dynasty poet, Nalan Xingde.
In one of his poems, there is a line that reads: "Not shying away from ice and snow to keep you warm."
It is a tale of exquisite romance; for those intrigued, I encourage you to explore it further online.
After several attempts, the desired effect was finally achieved.
With closed eyes, lips gently parted, White Ruoxue murmured.
"Thirsty... water, I need water."
This was a desperate situation. Forget water, even urine was not an option.
"Water... water."
Damn it, if I don't descend into hell, who will? Without water, blood it shall be.
With resolve, I clenched my teeth and bit into my own finger.
As they say, the fingers are connected to the heart, and indeed, the pain was excruciating. I couldn't help but inhale sharply.
Forcing open White Ruoxue's mouth, I inserted my finger, only to find her suckling on it eagerly.
The sensation was indescribable, a mixture of pain and ecstasy, alternating between heaven and hell.
After a few tens of seconds, White Ruoxue slowly opened her eyes, her expression one of sheer disbelief upon seeing our current situation.
"Du Guangting, you—"
Such vulgar language from a young lady was unexpected, but understandable given the circumstances.
"Do you have no conscience? In this world, a man willing to offer you blood may never arise again."
"Who cares? I find it repulsive."
Despite her reluctance to relent, White Ruoxue lay in my arms, her weakened state preventing further outburst, save for a slight twist in my abdomen.
Suddenly, a terrifying voice echoed.
"Little kitty, where are you?"
"If you insult my mother, you're no kitten. I'll kill you."
"I crave fresh meat, hahaha."
It was the monstrous figure once again, drawing closer with every menacing step.
Hastily dressing ourselves, we realized escape was futile; the footsteps of the behemoth were unmistakable.
"Guangting, we can't leave. What should we do?"
Casting her a glance, I felt a pang of realization. She had stopped addressing me by my surname, Du Guangting, a subtle yet significant change.
"Quick, lie down."
"What? What are you planning?"
"Don't ask questions, just do it."
White Ruoxue complied, and I hastily fashioned a makeshift cover from twigs and debris, before lying down myself, haphazardly concealing our forms.
Beneath us lay a bed of bones, and the cold seeped through the gaps, chilling us to the core.
Almost simultaneously, the limping figure of the monster lumbered into view, brandishing the hefty iron hammer.
"Little kitty, are you here?"
"I've found you. Come out, and let me devour you."
With a wicked grin, the creature scanned the surroundings, passing by us, its toes peeking out from beneath a traveler's shoe, stained red with blood.
Suspense hung in the air, with the monstrous figure just inches away from stepping on my head.
He then settled beside the circular pit, cradling the bronze vessel in his arms, and reached inside to stir. Astonishingly, he retrieved the heart from three millennia past.
A pungent odor filled the air.
What followed was even more horrifying.
The monstrous figure brought the heart to his nose and took a bite, tearing off a chunk and chewing.
White Ruoxue was utterly terrified, her eyes wide with horror. I placed a finger to my lips, silently warning her not to make a sound.
After a few bites, the creature sensed something amiss. In a fit of rage, he crushed the heart beneath his foot, then swung his massive iron hammer at the bronze vessel.
With a resounding crack, the vessel shattered into fragments, foul water splashing everywhere.
Yet, the monstrous figure grinned malevolently.
"Come out, I've spotted you."
"It won't hurt, it'll be over quickly, very pleasant."
Hidden in the shadows, I thought to myself: Screw you, being struck with a giant hammer is hardly pleasant. Pleasant my foot.
The monstrous figure gradually moved away with the hammer, and White Ruoxue and I quickly scrambled to our feet.
"He's incredibly strong. If we're discovered, our chances of survival are slim."
Glancing back in the direction the monstrous figure had disappeared, I continued, "We must leave here immediately. We cannot predict the temperament of that creature; it may return."
Just as I spoke, a large chunk of earth fell from above.
"Watch out!"
I pulled White Ruoxue towards me, and the earth chunk rolled from the upper left corner to the lower right, disappearing into thin air.
With a sense of wonder, I approached and made a startling discovery.
"Quick, look, there are stairs here."
After White Ruoxue kicked down the door of the Yin and Yang Gate, we failed to notice that there were hidden stairs on either side of the door frame.
One staircase ascended to the upper level, while the other descended underground.
Upon witnessing this scene, a flash of insight crossed my mind, although I couldn't quite put it into words; a vague sense of realization lingered.
White Ruoxue illuminated the area with a flashlight, revealing that the staircase's height was approximately five to six meters.
She asked, "Up or down?"
I replied, "Ascending the mountain is easy; descending is hard. Let's go up first."
We proceeded to ascend the staircase's steps.
The exit leading upward was blocked, and my attempts to push it open proved futile.
At that moment, footsteps from above reached my ears, clear and distinct, abruptly ceasing directly above me.
In a hushed tone, I said to White Ruoxue, "Shh, there's someone above."
"What should we do?"
I remained silent, pressing my ear against the surface to listen, faintly recognizing a familiar voice.
"Sis, something's up. There's activity down here; could it be the ghosts of the underworld?"
A surge of relief washed over me. It was Big Nose, unmistakably.
I lowered my head and gave a forceful shove, creating a hole through which my head protruded.
Big Nose was squatting in a manner reminiscent of using a latrine, and my sudden appearance startled him, causing him to plop onto the ground.
"Oh my God, the gates of hell have opened."
"It's me. Take a good look."
Before Big Nose could react, Shi Jingxia, recognizing my voice, burst into tears.
"Guangting, Guangting, I thought I'd never see you again. You scared me."
"Hurry, pull me up."
They pulled me up, and Shi Jingxia threw herself into my arms, crying like a child.
"It's okay, don't cry."
There was also a rammed earth wall here, with a hole in it as well. It seemed that the Southern Faction had entered here several years ago.
"Why is it just the two of you? What about Liu Yuanbao and Sun Tiedan?"