"Gao Shuxia," Bei Wushuang sneered. "So, you’re here. Where’s that sister of yours?"
Another woman’s figure materialized. She was dressed in a silver long robe, her waist swaying with an exaggerated motion as she walked.
"Hundred-Eyes Fish, you’ve come too!" Bei Wushuang smiled, as if he had already foreseen his own demise.
Gao Shuxia looked at Bei Wushuang and said, "Brother, you appear to be injured."
Hundred-Eyes Fish’s voice was even more concerned. "Brother, is it serious? Let your little sister have a look."
Bei Wushuang spat a glob of saliva at the two of them. "What, are both of you after my Contract Book?"
Gao Shuxia shook her head repeatedly. "Brother, you misunderstand us. We heard you went to deal with Pan Dehai, that old thief, but feared someone might cause trouble at your home. We came specially to stand guard for you."
Bei Wushuang laughed. "Well, thank you both for the trouble. You’ve been searching for quite some time, it seems. Haven’t found the Contract Book yet, have you?"
Hundred-Eyes Fish exclaimed in admiration, "Brother, you’ve hidden it so well! That gives your little sister such peace of mind."
Bei Wushuang looked at Gao Shuxia. "Don’t you practice Divination? Couldn’t you figure it out?"
Gao Shuxia shook her head again and again. "Brother’s skills are too profound. I truly cannot divine it."
Bei Wushuang looked around; undoubtedly, at this point, all his subordinates had long since fled.
"Enough with the nonsense," Bei Wushuang snorted. "Are you two going to attack together, or one at a time?"
Gao Shuxia sighed. "Brother, why be so hasty? Just tell us where you hid the Contract Book, and we sisters will safeguard it for you. We’ll return it immediately once you’re healed."
Bei Wushuang braced his four hooves and suddenly charged at Gao Shuxia.
Gao Shuxia dared not resist; she knew Bei Wushuang’s strength was tremendous.
Bei Wushuang had masqueraded as a Body Cultivator for many years, and not just because of his camel-like appearance. His martial skills were exceptional, his skin thick and flesh tough, embodying many traits of a true Body Cultivator.
Gao Shuxia dodged Bei Wushuang, who then turned and attacked Hundred-Eyes Fish.
With a twist of her waist and a chuckle, Hundred-Eyes Fish easily circled around to Bei Wushuang’s back.
Bei Wushuang was too severely injured. With both his opponents at the Earth Skin cultivation level, he failed to gain any advantage.
Gao Shuxia pulled out a Counting Rod and stabbed it into Bei Wushuang’s body.
Hundred-Eyes Fish lifted her long robe. One of her legs was entirely covered with eyes. She brushed it against Bei Wushuang, tearing off a large piece of his skin and flesh.
Pan Dehai lamented inwardly.
Amidst the fray, Bei Wushuang’s steps were chaotic, his howls unceasing.
MOAN... TAP! TAP! TAP!
MOAN... TAP-TAP!
Pan Dehai realized, detecting a rhythm in the howls and footsteps.
WHOOO!
With that long howl from Bei Wushuang, a sand eye suddenly appeared in the ground.
The sand eye spun rapidly like a vortex, and Bei Wushuang dived through it, beneath the quicksand.
Pan Dehai’s guess was correct; Bei Wushuang was indeed about to use a Technique.
But this Technique wasn’t aimed at confronting Hundred-Eyes Fish and Gao Shuxia; it was to activate a mechanism.
This sandpit was, indeed, the entrance to Bei Wushuang’s home.
To open the main entrance, however, one had to play a piece of music using a Sound Cultivation Technique.
The rhythmic steps and wails Bei Wushuang had made earlier formed that piece of music. Only by opening the main entrance with this correct method could one truly enter his residence.
Bei Wushuang dived into the sand eye, and Hundred-Eyes Fish quickly followed him.
A short while later, she floated back up alone.
"He’s gone!" Hundred-Eyes Fish spat out a mouthful of sand. "He’s so badly injured, yet he ran off so quickly!"
Gao Shuxia picked up her abacus, her fingers flying as she manipulated the beads. After more than half an hour of calculation, she finally arrived at a result.
She took her wooden sword, drew a mark on the ground, and said to Hundred-Eyes Fish, "We dig here. We’ll find him right underneath!"
Hundred-Eyes Fish used a Technique to burrow into the earth, with Gao Shuxia close behind.
Pan Dehai, the Person of Great Virtue, remained hovering in midair, awaiting the outcome.
Pan Dehai mused.
Pan Dehai watched from midair, while Li Banfeng observed, hidden behind a dune.
In the sandpit, waves of sand surged, indicating a fierce battle raging within the depths.
His Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill continuously warned Li Banfeng not to approach the battlefield.
Li Banfeng wondered.
After more than another hour, Gao Shuxia and Hundred-Eyes Fish, now covered in wounds, crawled out of the sand eye.
They sat in the sandpit, gasping for breath. It was clear they hadn’t defeated Bei Wushuang, nor had they retrieved the Contract Book.
Pan Dehai speculated.
He slowly materialized in midair and smiled at the two women. "Ladies, you’ve worked hard."
The moment Gao Shuxia saw Pan Dehai appear, she nearly wet herself. Hundred-Eyes Fish actually did.
They both grabbed their weapons, preparing to fight, but Pan Dehai gestured with his hand, saying, "Ladies, please calm yourselves. I hold no grudge against you. I am here merely to take Bei Wushuang’s life."
Gao Shuxia pointed to the sand eye on the ground. "Bei Wushuang is in there. Go find him yourself!"
Pan Dehai chuckled. "This sand warren is complex and convoluted. Both of you ladies are people of virtue. Therefore, I must trouble you to lead the way for this old man."
Hundred-Eyes Fish shook her head. "We don’t have that ability. If we go down again, we’ll likely lose our lives."
Pan Dehai said, "Ladies, there’s no need for such modesty. If we were comparing skills alone, even I would concede my inferiority."
Hundred-Eyes Fish swayed her waist and chuckled. "Elder Pan, thank you for thinking so highly of us, but we truly don’t want to face Bei Wushuang again. You should go on your own."
Pan Dehai’s face darkened. "For women to speak and act so frivolously is to be without virtue!" he barked.
His words struck like a blow; Hundred-Eyes Fish stumbled, nearly collapsing under the pressure.
Gao Shuxia gritted her teeth. "Old scoundrel, we’ll fight you to the death!"
Hundred-Eyes Fish pulled Gao Shuxia back, signaling her not to be reckless. They were no match for Pan Dehai.
As the three were locked in a standoff, the sound of shifting sand drifted from the distance.
Pan Dehai scanned the horizon and spotted a humpless camel fleeing wildly across the wilderness.
Bei Wushuang had escaped!
Pan Dehai turned intangible and gave chase.
Gao Shuxia and Hundred-Eyes Fish, not wanting to be left out, also pursued.
The sandpit was empty, not a soul in sight.
Zhang Wanlong, on his own one-li plot of land, said to Xiao Genzi, "Brother, let’s see how long you can hold out. The longer you last, the more you can help our Seventh Master."
PS: Zhang Wanlong has invested heavily; this time the seeds are quite different.