Chapter 376: Wailing Grotto
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The story of the Southern Continent’s Wailing Grotto was a famous one. Many couples would come over here to rendezvous after learning the story, as a sign of remembrance to the couple of the story.
About a thousand years ago, there was a country called Fetched Moon Country. Because the royal bloodline was growing thin, no one could control Fetched Moon Country’s national divine weapon, Fire Dragon Sword, and ultimately it led this country to its demise. The other countries around were looming over and were very close to devouring this country.
In order to save his citizens who were in hot water, the young Fetched Moon Country’s prince, Thunder took the Fire Dragon Sword and traveled the world to train and learn, in an attempt to gain control over Fire Dragon Sword.
Fire Dragon Sword was a divine weapon that only a member of the royal bloodline of Fetched Moon Country could use. If the sword was not suppressed by a royal family member, anyone who laid their hands on the sword would be burnt to ashes.
During the course of Prince Thunder’s training, he came to know a young priestess. It was love at first sight for both of them, and they fell madly in love.
Alas, time flew and before they knew it, the threatened Fetched Moon Country could not withstand its threats before the return of its prince and met its end.
His family was gone, his country, gone, everything was gone. It was then the prince learned the ident.i.ty of the priestess. She was a princess of the country behind the destruction of Fetched Moon Country.
The prince lost his mind and pulled Fire Dragon Sword out in rage, burning the princess to ashes.
He went mad. Despite his skin peeling from burns by this sword, he was relentless in seeking revenge. However, Fire Dragon Sword’s side effects suddenly became worse and completely engulfed the prince.
However, Prince Thunder did not die. He fell under the curse of Fire Dragon Sword and transformed into a real Fire Dragon, complete with flames burning all over his body. He would have to live the remainder of his life bearing the pain of flames burning through his flesh.
Prince Thunder flew to the princess’ country to set it aflame. It was only when he killed the princess’ father personally that he learned the truth. The princess knew nothing about the destruction of his country. He killed an innocent woman.
Thunder returned to where he burned the princess to death and found that she turned into a white crystal rock, never able to be revived again.
Thunder let out a sorrowful wail, standing in front of the princess day and night until he died shedding tears of blood…
It was said that the day Prince Thunder died, the earth shook while the moon and sun s.h.i.+fted. A tall mountain became a valley while a plain became a plateau…
It was during that time when Wailing Grotto appeared. When pa.s.sing by the grotto, a deep wailing sound could be heard. Hence, how its name came to be.
From then on, many have come to Wailing Grotto in search of Fetched Moon Country’s divine weapon, Fire Dragon Sword but to no avail. Wailing Grotto’s map was surprisingly enormous and its monsters ranged between Level 1 to 100. They were all scattered with no actual structure. The stories about the divine weapon, Fire Dragon Sword hidden within Wailing Grotto has been told but has never once been found.
“Perverted Wing, is Fire Dragon Sword really in Wailing Grotto?”
“And how would I know that?”
“You seem to know everything. If even you don’t know about it, I guess no one does then?”
Up in the sky, Li Yi and Jiaojiao were riding on Horned Griffin as they made their way to Wailing Grotto.
Jiaojiao was in good spirits, as she beamed with radiance. This was a contrast to Li Yi’s low spirits. He had dark eye circles as if he did not have a good night sleep.
Yeap, he did not have a good night’s sleep…
Li Yi felt defeated as he recalled the night before.
The three women were lying in his bedroom. He wanted to enter and sleep with them but was shocked to find the door… locked.
He knocked, he kicked, he worked the entire night yet he could not gain entry…
F*ck, he wondered who blocked the door from the inside!
The three women were slumbering in the bedroom while he had a sleepless night alone on the couch.
“What’s up with you? Why are you yawning? Didn’t you sleep well last night?” Jiaojiao asked out of concern.
Li Yi rolled his eyes at her. He yawned and did not respond to her questions.
He was filled with regret…
Yang Rong was the first to wake up and the most considerate, leaving a blanket on him before leaving.
Fire Ice, too went home but Jiaojiao stayed on. She did not go home.
The Horned Griffin landed and they found themselves standing at the entrance of Wailing Grotto. If one were to listen in carefully, one would find a peculiar wailing sound echoing through every once in a while.
“There really is someone wailing.”
“Duh, if there isn’t any sound, this place wouldn’t be called Wailing Grotto.”
“Tell me the story of Prince Thunder again. I wanna listen to it.”
“One day, Prince Thunder and Princess Priestess went out to play. They first kissed, and then they kissed and kissed…”
“Scram, can’t you take it seriously?”
…
System Notification: [You’ve entered Wailing Grotto!]
With the wails ringing in their ears, a few green-skinned underlings swamped out and attacked them.
These green-skinned underlings at the entrance of Wailing Grotto were no more than Level 10. One of Jiaojiao’s Dark Strikes took them all out.
“The monsters here are weak. I guess anything inside isn’t that big of a deal.”
“Well, that’s not certain. The map of Wailing Grotto is quite special. It’s not a common dungeon and it’s larger than some large-sized instance dungeons. The grotto spreads out in all directions. It’s easy to get lost without a complete map. I remembered an idiot who came here in search of treasure but instead, found himself lost for two weeks. In the end, he opted to be killed by a monster and chose to lose a level and return to his country in order to leave.”
Jiaojiao laughed out loud, “No way. Two weeks in this grotto? Who’s that idiot?”
“Me,” Li Yi pointed himself, peevishly.
“You? Hahahaha….” Jiaojiao was thoroughly delighted.
“I am a champion in leading the way. C’mon idiot, follow me. Don’t get yourself lost now!”
Jiaojiao carried her sword in a casual manner and walked in the front to lead the way.
The two stopped after they walked a hundred meter in distance.
The pathway diverged into several hundred pa.s.sageways. They were uneven in size, some broad, some narrow, some large, some tiny. The light further up was growing dimmer.
“Which way to the bracelet?”
With several hundred pa.s.sageways to choose from, how could she possibly decide?
“No idea,” Li Yi was straightforward with his answer.
“Sister Jiaojiao, lead the way.”
“Cough cough! This one!”
Jiaojiao picked one at random and took the lead to enter. Li Yi stood there without making a move.
Five seconds later, Jiaojiao crept her way back. Her face was slightly red as she awkwardly commented, “Dead end.”
Li Yi rolled his eyes as the pa.s.sageway picked by Jiaojiao was obviously a wall, not a pathway…
“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, moe!”
Jiaojiao swung around her finger at the pa.s.sageways and landed on a narrow pathway.
“This should be it.”
“You sure?”
“How would we know if we don’t go? Let’s go!”
Jiaojiao barged her way in. Li Yi could not help but follow.
The deeper into Wailing Grotto, the more complicated the pathways were. If one were to be meet a dead end, they could just trace their steps back. Walking in circles was the worst, as one could just enter into hole after hole unendingly. It was not just Li Yi who got lost in here. Truth be told, the percentage of players who were lost in here and unable to get out was 100%!
Yeap, 100%!
In the eight years King of Pantheon ran in the past life, no player ever succeeded in reaching the deepest depths of Wailing Grotto. Any Hall of Fame achievements related to his place remained gray and never lit up.
The Pantheon officials once announced an Official Prize in the past life to anyone who could reach the deepest depths of Wailing Grotto for an additional reward of five million Gold Coins.
“Perverted Wing, do you feel that the pathway is getting narrower?”
Jiaojiao was walking in the front. She could not even lift her head at this point.
“I hope it’s not a dead end ahead…”
“I’m a bit afraid now. Let’s switch and you take the lead?”
“Oh, okay.”
Jiaojiao turned around and was about to switch places with Li Yi when she found that the pathway was too narrow to s.h.i.+ft positions.
“Well, no point turning back. Let’s continue on. I don’t believe the path I’ve chosen is wrong.”
Jiaojiao’s stubbornness reared its ugly head. She stored her Rune Greatsword before moving forward.
The more they walked down the path, the narrower it became. In the end, it was so confined, they had to crawl.
“Perv… Perverted Wing, are you behind me?”
It was dark ahead. Jiaojiao’s voice was trembling. She would be lying if she said she was unafraid.
“I’m here, don’t worry.”
Li Yi gently smacked Jiaojiao’s b.u.t.t, earning a shriek from Jiaojiao.
“I can’t, Perverted Wing. There’s still more ahead but it’s just too narrow. I can’t move any further,” Jiaojiao’s voice was trembling.
“Reverse then.”
“I can’t, I… can’t get out. My… my waist is stuck,” Jiaojiao sounded as though she was about to burst into tears.
“No way? That bad?”
Jiaojiao was half-kneeling on the ground, with her a.s.s wriggling about. She was not joking, she was really stuck.
“Young lady, wanna have a go?”
Li Yi laughed out loud.
“You’re still laughing! I’m about to cry. Didn’t you hear me? This place isn’t fun, sob…”
“Whose fault is it for barging in so fast? Great, now you’re stuck and can’t get out. You’re lucky it’s me at the back. If it were some other guy, you’d probably be raped.”
“Humph, I wouldn’t come if it were some other guy. Waaaaaaaaaaaah, I’m p.i.s.sed. Can’t you just pull me out?”
“Pull?”
“Grab onto me and pull me out…”
Li Yi was about to take out his Shrinking Scroll but snapped his fingers when he heard Jiaojiao’s suggestion.
“Pull you out? Great idea.”
Li Yi grabbed onto Jiaojiao’s little waist and pulled with all his might…
…