117: Chapter 117 Bring her to see me

The Older Female Corpse poised to deliver a fatal blow to Chen Zilong, the withered claw about to touch Lu Bingyun's throat, and the fingertip only half an inch from Ye Xishui's temple—

The movements of the three Female Corpses abruptly froze, as if sealed by invisible ice.

Their stiff necks emitted soft 'crack' sounds as they turned in unison toward the same direction.

Their crimson eyes glowed brightly in the darkness, like four pairs of blood-soaked glass beads, all focused on Tu Shan Xiaoxiao.

More precisely, they were focused on the hand of the Female Corpse currently clutching Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's neck.

The stagnant killing intent in the Tomb Chamber seemed like a punctured water skin, suddenly draining away by more than half.

Floating dust slowly settled in the dim, yellowish light, like an hourglass of fate quietly being flipped over.

What was truly horrifying was that the three Female Corpses simultaneously released their prey, like puppets pulled by strings, slowly drifting toward Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, who was curled up on the ground.

They abandoned all attacking postures, simply forming a bizarre encirclement in silence, trapping the trembling young girl in the center.

At this moment, Tu Shan Xiaoxiao was utterly terrified, her soul seemingly fled.

When the Female Corpse's icy fingers touched her neck, and when the words 'little brother' echoed in her ear, her final mental defenses completely crumbled.

"Wuu..."

A faint whimper escaped her lips. Those apricot-shaped eyes, always brimming with laughter, were now filled with terror, her pupils rapidly contracting and dilating.

Her legs felt as soft as overcooked noodles, her entire body collapsing weakly to the ground.

Her slender fingers clutched desperately at her own collar, knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

The stray hairs on her forehead were soaked with cold sweat, sticking to her trembling cheeks.

Tears mixed with sweat dripped down her chin, leaving dark stains on the dust-covered ground.

"Senior Brother... s-save me..."

Her voice was fragmented, each word trembling with fear. "It's so scary... their eyes... are watching me..."

Chen Zilong, Ye Xishui, and Lu Bingyun immediately felt the oppressive pressure around them suddenly lessen.

Their bodies, which had felt as if stuck in a quagmire, regained their lightness.

Ye Xishui and Lu Bingyun exchanged a glance. Their figures flashed, converging with Chen Zilong in an instant.

The three stood back-to-back. Though their weapons were drawn, they all looked with shock and uncertainty toward Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, who was surrounded by the Female Corpses.

Just as they were preparing for a desperate fight, they noticed the Female Corpses' behavior was exceptionally bizarre.

They simply hovered silently about three inches above the ground, their tattered skirts swaying without any wind.

Four pale faces tilted slightly downward, crimson eyes churning with incomprehensible emotions—

Residual resentment like undercurrents in deep water, profound sorrow like dense fog, mixed with a certain confusion, and...

Chen Zilong's pupils contracted slightly. He saw clearly—

The corner of the Older Female Corpse's mouth was actually twitching slightly—

The rigid facial muscles seemed to be attempting to form a 'gentle' expression.

What was even more startling was that the look in their eyes as they gazed at Tu Shan Xiaoxiao genuinely revealed a trace of something akin to 'attachment.'

"Don't move."

Chen Zilong lowered his voice, making a downward pressing gesture with his right hand behind his back toward Tu Shan Xiaoxiao.

His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, tightly locked onto the subtlest changes in the Female Corpses' expressions.

Receiving her Senior Brother's signal, Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, though fearful tears continued to flow uncontrollably, bit her lower lip hard, stifling her whimpers in her throat.

She buried her face deep into the crook of her arm, her thin shoulders shaking incessantly, like a wounded young animal.

The Tomb Chamber fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the 'drip, drip' of water seeping from stone cracks and Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's suppressed sobs.

The air was filled with the smell of rotten wood and mildew, faintly mixed with a subtle, elusive exotic fragrance.

It resembled some aged rouge, or perhaps decaying flower petals.

Chen Zilong's gaze swept back and forth across the Female Corpses' faces, his mind racing.

"This look..."

Alarm bells rang loudly in his heart. "It's clearly the look one gives to a long-lost treasure. But Xiaoxiao is a half-blood of the Qingqiu Fox Clan and a human. These Female Corpses are clearly vengeful water ghosts who died with grievances. How could there possibly be a connection?"

His gaze fell on the fox ears Tu Shan Xiaoxiao had exposed due to fear. The pair of furry ears were now completely drooping, pressed tightly against her scalp.

Suddenly, a detail caught his attention.

The Older Female Corpse's line of sight was fixed intently on a very hidden crescent-shaped birthmark behind Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's right ear.

"What they shouted earlier was 'little brother'?"

Chen Zilong felt a chill run up his spine to the top of his head. "But Xiaoxiao is clearly female... unless..."

The scene before him was full of paradoxes:

Beautiful yet decaying Female Corpses, ferocious corpse spots paired with elegant postures, soaring resentment and this current eerie tenderness...

All of this intertwined into a vast web of mystery, shrouding the truth in even deeper fog.

Right at that moment, the four Female Corpses seemed to reach some kind of silent agreement.

They simultaneously raised their withered, skeletal hands, as if wanting to stroke Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's hair, but stopped an inch away.

A soft 'gurgle' sound came from the Older Female Corpse's throat. Her decaying lips parted slightly, but ultimately, she said nothing.

They took one last, deep look at Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, a gaze so complex it made one's heart palpitate.

There was helplessness, reluctance, warning, and a trace of an indescribable, inexplicable expectation.

Then, they turned in unison. Their white burial garments traced eerie arcs in the darkness as they were pulled, as if by invisible hands, slowly drifting toward that deep, Ancient Well.

The black mist swirling at the well's mouth seemed to writhe like a living thing, welcoming their return.

When the figure of the last Female Corpse was swallowed by the darkness, the black mist at the well's mouth suddenly churned violently, vaguely forming a twisted human face.

Deathly silence enveloped the Tomb Chamber.

A moment later, a hoarse, dry voice drifted up eerily from the depths of the well, each word carrying a bone-chilling coldness:

"Bring her... to see us..."

The voice was not loud, yet it seemed to drill directly into the marrow, carrying an indisputable command, along with resentment and the vicissitudes of countless years.

Chen Zilong's eyes flickered. He stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully toward the well opening:

"This Junior understands. Thank you, Seniors, for showing mercy."

His voice echoed in the spacious Tomb Chamber, tinged with a measure of reverence.

If not for that sudden turn of events moments ago, the four of them would have had no chance of survival.

The words 'showing mercy' were spoken with genuine sincerity.

At that moment, Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, finally out of danger, was like a startled bird. She scrambled frantically toward Chen Zilong.

She threw herself into his embrace, her arms tightly encircling his waist, her nails almost digging into his skin.

Her entire body trembled violently. Tears quickly soaked the front of his robe, the warm wetness seeping through the fabric.

"It's alright now, Xiaoxiao." Chen Zilong gently patted her back, feeling the frantic heartbeat beneath his palm. "It's all over."

His voice was gentle, but his gaze never left the Ancient Well. The black mist at the well's mouth still flowed slowly, as if urging silently.

A new, even more unsettling question grew wildly in his heart:

Who exactly was the 'her' the Female Corpses referred to?

If it meant Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, why call her 'little brother'?

If it meant someone else, who could it be?

He looked down at the young girl still trembling in his arms. Those eyes, always clear and transparent, were now filled with fearful tears.

Chen Zilong's fingers unconsciously brushed over the crescent-shaped birthmark behind Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's ear. His gaze gradually deepened.

This bizarre 'recognition,' this inexplicable demand, seemed like merely the prelude to some grand conspiracy.

And the four of them had already been unavoidably drawn into this vortex.

From deep within the well, an extremely faint sigh seemed to drift up, like an autumn leaf falling on water, gone in an instant.

All of this... seemed to have only just begun...