"Huo Lei, I have a feeling there's something in the water. I have to go down and see," Xiao Man said resolutely.
"The Ruo Shui River's waters do not allow anything to float. If you go down, how will you come back up?" Huo Lei stopped her. He didn't mind helping Xiao Man find a way out, but he couldn't bear to watch her walk to her death. This was the Ruo Shui River, not an ordinary lake. If it were an ordinary lake, he would have explored it himself before letting Xiao Man go.
"Don't I still have you?" Xiao Man took out a coil of rope and handed it to Huo Lei. "I'll tie the rope around my waist, and then there won't be a problem with me coming back up. When I find a clue, I'll give the rope a tug, and you'll pull me up."
Huo Lei sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice. He found a large rock, tied the rope around it, and threw it into the Ruo Shui River. The rope on the bank shortened at a visible pace. Moments later, Huo Lei tugged on the rope, pulling it back. The rope instantly snapped into two pieces.
Xiao Man rushed forward and picked up the broken end of the rope. She discovered that it had been corroded.
"This river water can actually corrode rope."
"It's not just rope. Even iron chains will corrode over time. Going into the Ruo Shui River is definitely not a wise decision," Huo Lei advised her. "I know you're desperate to leave here, but if you act rashly and lose your life, how will you ever leave?"
"But I still feel like there's something at the bottom of the water."
"There can't be anything at the bottom of the water," Huo Lei stated with certainty. "Whether it's a person, an animal, or anything else, once it falls into the Ruo Shui River, it will vanish without a trace within a day!"
Fearing Xiao Man wouldn't believe him, Huo Lei grabbed a rabbit, chained it, and threw it into the Ruo Shui River. The rabbit struggled as if it had encountered its natural predator, its screams quickly fading as it sank and disappeared into the water.
After about fifteen minutes, Huo Lei pulled up the iron chain. The rabbit, which had fallen in not long ago, was now nothing more than a skeleton, and the iron chain also bore signs of corrosion.
Xiao Man knelt down to examine the rabbit's remains. Such clean bones certainly weren't the result of being eaten by a fierce beast. It was as if it had been dissolved, and even the bones showed signs of melting. Yet, the last time she fell in, even her clothes were unharmed.
"Huo Lei, do you remember what it was like when you pulled me out of the Ruo Shui River?" Xiao Man inquired.
"I remember. You were unconscious then. I thought you..." Huo Lei paused for a moment. "Fortunately, you're alright. But the Ruo Shui River is a natural barrier. Crossing it is as difficult as ascending to heaven."
Xiao Man took out a piece of clothing from her storage bag and tossed it into the river. The moment the fabric touched the water, it sank towards the bottom. The water was clear, yet the bottom was invisible, indicating the immense depth of the Ruo Shui River.
"Huo Lei, I didn't expect you to still dare to come out." A voice broke the silence. A group of people quickly advanced, surrounding the two.
Huo Lei shielded Xiao Man behind him, a sense of foreboding filling him. The Great Priest of Sun Village had personally appeared. This time, their situation seemed dire.
"Greetings, Elder Shi."
Elder Shi smiled at Huo Lei. "The deeds of Flame Tiger Village were evil. Their current predicament is a consequence of their own actions. However, killing all of Flame Tiger Village's warriors was a bit too ruthless?"
"Elder Shi, if someone were to kill your parents and ravish your wife and daughters, would such a person deserve to die?" Xiao Man stepped forward, asking gently.
Elder Shi's gaze had been fixed on Xiao Man from the start. Hearing her speak, he didn't answer immediately. After scrutinizing Xiao Man, he slowly said,
"They deserve to die."
"Killing them would provoke the frantic revenge of their entire clan. Should this clan also be killed?"
Elder Shi frowned slightly. If he said they shouldn't be killed, his previous statement would be overturned. If they should be killed, his accusation against Huo Lei would be unfounded. This woman's mind was indeed sharp.
"Surely, not even women and children deserve to die."
"As everyone knows, we did not harm any women or children when we attacked Flame Tiger Village," Xiao Man stated calmly. "Elder Shi, you've brought your men here, not to take advantage of us, have you?"
Elder Shi's expression remained unchanged. He had indeed intended to attack them, but Xiao Man's bluntness made it awkward for him to proceed.
"Let's speak plainly. I came for you," Elder Shi said seriously, looking at Xiao Man. "I've heard you are an outsider?"
Xiao Man's expression flickered. She immediately understood that Elder Shi was very interested in the outside world. "I am indeed an outsider."
"So, you know the way out of here?" Elder Shi's voice held a hint of excitement. "How do we leave?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "To be frank, I'm also looking for a way out. I came here through a teleportation array, and the one I used can no longer be activated."
"You don't know the way out either?"
"No," Xiao Man admitted. "When I was teleported here, I landed by the Ruo Shui River. That's why I'm here looking for clues. Elder Shi, do you know anything?"
"If the clues are in the Ruo Shui River, then it's as good as having no clues," Elder Shi said with great disappointment. He had rushed over, fearing Xiao Man might be ambushed by others, only to find that Xiao Man also didn't know the way out. Were they destined to remain here forever?
"Are there any clues related to the Ruo Shui River?" Xiao Man stepped forward, inquiring. There must be a way out from here; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to enter. It was simply a hidden location they hadn't discovered.
Elder Shi thought for a moment. "There's a legend about the Ruo Shui River. I don't know if it counts as a clue."
"May I ask Elder Shi to tell me?"
"Legend has it that in ancient times, the Ruo Shui River was teeming with life. It was the abode of a dragon-fish that had cultivated immortality by the side of a celestial god. However, tens of thousands of years ago, during the war between gods and demons, the divine race was annihilated. The dragon-fish guarding the Ruo Shui River sacrificed itself for its master. After the dragon-fish died, all life in the Ruo Shui River vanished, leaving it as it is today, where birds dare not cross and nothing floats."
"Dragon-fish?" Xiao Man frowned. Was the dragon-fish related to dragons? In the Ghost Realm, there was a black dragon whose physical body had decayed after the war between gods and demons, leaving only its skeleton. However, after forming a contract with A Yu, it was resurrected. Could the dragon-fish be resurrected? If so, where was its skeleton?
"Elder Shi, do you know where the dragon-fish's tomb is?"
"This is merely a legend, and whether it exists is still under investigation," Elder Shi poured cold water on Xiao Man's hopes. "Even if the dragon-fish has a tomb, it would be within the Ruo Shui River. But the Ruo Shui River is hostile to all life. Animals that fall into it become white bones in the blink of an eye, and humans would fare no better. Even if you knew the dragon-fish's tomb, would you dare to go down and search for it?"
"If the clue to leaving is in the Ruo Shui River, would Elder Shi go down?"
"No," Elder Shi said decisively. "I want to leave, not die."