Chapter 77: Reinforcements
Mumu panicked. She pointed towards the fat monk Shui Jing and called out to Ah Dan, “He risked his master’s life. Beat this b.a.s.t.a.r.d to death for me!”
The fat monk felt greatly wronged and screamed out, “Stop blaming me!” He spread his legs and started to run. He had indeed suffered a great injustice. However, as it was him who did not take care of Mumu well, it was also him who failed to stop the toad and it was him who tossed out his treasured weapon to attack the toad when Wen Leyang was still in the toad’s mouth, everyone began to vent their anger on him…
The fat monk knew that it would be difficult for him to explain and ease the situation. He knew that he had become the punching bag of the group. Nonetheless, as he refused to truly battle the little Ah Dan, he could only run away.
Ah Dan circled around the sitting toad and chased the fat monk for a few rounds. Suddenly, he let out a ‘huh’ and joyfully picked up the fallen bronze pan that had fell to the ground. He covered the pan on his head, pressed it down firmly with his little hand and leaped up to continue his chase…
It had been more than a day. The disciple of The Centipede had returned from the mountain slope. Yet, the giant toad still would not budge an inch. There was also no sign of the toad vomiting or defecating.
The sitting toad had the advantage of a rigid body. Even the fat monk Shui Jing’s Buddhist prayer beads could only make it somersault. The beads could not even leave behind a wound on its body. It was clear that it was impossible for them to harm it at all.
The brothers Bushuo and Buzuo could not wait anymore. Wen Buzuo hastily began his journey to inform the family of the situation. The rest of the group stayed behind to guard the giant toad and the skinny lad in case the monster would suddenly wake up and flee.
The four elders of the Wen clan were very anxious as Wen Leyang was away for more than ten days but there was no news from him at all. As they were preparing to allow the Fourth Elder Wen to head over the Miao stockade village with some disciples, Wen Buzuo called. Hearing that Wen Leyang was trapped in the giant toad’s stomach, Fourth Elder Wen raised his eyebrows and declared in a cold and gloomy tone, “Let us head to the Miao stockade village. If Wen Leyang is dead, the disciples of Miao Bujiao shall be buried with him!”
Grand Elder Wen’s expression darkened. The Second Elder Wen who seldom spoke muttered, “Find the monks, the ones from the Temple of Great Mercy!”
At the same time, the Luo family also received Wen Buzuo’s phone call. They were surprised and angered to hear that the fifteen disciples of The Centipede had died tragically and Mumu was severely injured.
Within two days, the four great elders of the Wen clan arrived alongside with countless men from the Death Trademark. The disciples of the Wen Bucao sealed off all the routes leading to the Seven Maidens Mountain. They only allowed people to enter but stopped people from exiting.
Regardless of whether it was the Wen, Miao, or the Luo family, they were similar to poisonous snakes hidden in the corners of the mortal world. Once they intend to bite a person, they would not be particular about upholding any principles.
The Heads of the Luo family arrived a few hours later than the Wen clan. The disciples of The Centipede guided by a zombie corpse each entered the Miao stockade village with a very gloomy expression. A normal being would not be able to differentiate who was the living person and who was the dead corpse there.
The Heads of the Luo family entered the stockade village themselves as the disciples of The Centipede dispersed off into the forest. It was clear in this instance that the Crow Ridge was not on the same side as the disciples of Wen Bucao.
The two families had publicly shown their intention that if Wen Leyang was dead, the disciples of Miao Bujiao would not live as well.
Nonetheless, the giant toad was still sitting up straight on the ground, as still as a rock.
Logically, as Wen Leyang had fallen into the giant toad’s stomach for over three days now, he should be dead. However, the toad was unusual and no one could really understand the situation. Moreover, the giant toad’s skin was unimaginably st.u.r.dy. Water and fire could not invade it, strong poison could not decay it, and it was not afraid of knives and sharp tools. There was no way out really.
On the fifth day, just as the four great elders lost all hopes and were preparing to launch an attack towards the Miao stockade village, a clear and melodious Buddhist hymn echoed from the sky. It calmed down the murdering urge of the disciples of Wen Bucao and washed away the surging foul and evil-foreboding air. Dozens of monks with compa.s.sionate smiles walked into the Miao stockade village.
The leader of the monks was the little mouth monk who tried to s.n.a.t.c.h Wen Leyang’s carrot back in Mount Emei, the abbot of the Great Mercy Temple, the little demon rabbit Shan Duan.
The four elders of the Wen clan were elated. They immediately gathered around the monks. Ever since they safely escaped from the Great Mercy Temple, Wen Leyang had told them the entire story of Chang Li and the demon rabbits. As Chang Li was considered the ancestor teacher of the demon rabbits of the Great Mercy Temple and also the lover of Tuo Xie, the Wen, Miao, Luo and Shan Duan were actually considered a family. Therefore, when they found out about Wen Leyang’s accident, Grand Elder Wen immediately delivered a message to Mount Emei.
As soon as the Great Mercy Temple received the news that the Wen clan had an accident, they dared not neglect the situation, considering that Chang Li valued Wen Leyang highly. Travelling day and night, they rushed over to the Miao stockade village. Unfortunately, they could not get in touch with their ancestor grandmother.
Shan Duan had an extremely prestigious status within the cultivation world. However, he did not have the slightest arrogance upon meeting the few elders of the Wen clan. He shook Grand Elder Wen’s hand courteously, “We are late, we are late. The master teacher was supposed to come together as well but he had a small matter to attend to on his way here. He will rush over as soon as the matter has been dealt with. I am here to take a look first, don’t you worry…” Upon saying that, he raised his head and took a look at the giant toad with his squinty eyes. He had a disdained expression. He waved his hand to the monks that traveled together with him and shouted, “Release this evildoer’s soul from purgatory!”
The monks immediately took out their treasured weapons and prepared to launch the rite.
Even though Grand Elder Wen did not understand Buddhist arts, judging by the monks’ mannerism, they were preparing to crush the sitting toad into mush. Nonetheless, Wen Leyang was still in the giant toad’s stomach. He squealed while he stretched out his hand to block the monks, “What are you all doing?”
The little mouth monk Shan Duan was puzzled, “Well, I am avenging Wen Leyang!”
Even Grand Elder Wen who had the kindest temperament turned livid with rage as he cursed, “Avenge my a.s.s, I am asking your help to rescue Wen Leyang! He is still in the toad’s stomach!”
“Oh!” Shan Duan turned around and shouted, “Hope Voice, explain to me. What is happening?”
The little monk Hope Voice appeared behind a big fat monk and he stuttered, “Wen…Wen…Wen…”
Grand Elder Wen stomped his foot in rage, “Wen my a.s.s!” He rapidly told the monks the story of Wen Leyang being swallowed. Shan Duan felt enlightened. He waved his hand and knocked on the bald head of the little stutter, “Why did you tell me that Wen Leyang was dead!”
The person who the Wen’s clan sent to deliver the message was a smart man. However, both Bu Le and Shan Duan were living in their own bubble and did not care about what was happening to the earthlings. Hence, the person who was sent to receive the Wen’s clan disciples was the little stutter. He stuttered while he tried to ask about the situation and relayed the information again in a stutter. Anyhow, the main part of the story was that the toad was too st.u.r.dy to be defeated and it had swallowed Wen Leyang.
From the story, Shan Duan had a.s.sumed that Wen Leyang was dead. Therefore, he was puzzled on why they were needed for his cremation. Nonetheless, as Chang Li had a domineering influence towards them, they did not dare to ignore the message.
As Shan Duan finally understood the whole story, he asked Grand Elder Wen not to panic and he headed to the front of the sitting toad. He bustled around, leaping up and listened to the sound within its stomach. Then, he wrote a few Buddha’s seal that vanished into the giant toad’s body.
The little stutter Hope Voice stood aside quietly. Suddenly, a babbling voice came from a side. Ah Dan ran towards him with his short legs.
Ah Dan was slightly shorter than the little stutter. Smilingly, he stood on tiptoe and touched Hope Voice’s bald head. He then uncovered the bronze pan, revealing his bald head. The two bald heads s.h.i.+mmered together.
Meanwhile, Shan Duan leaped back. With a peculiar expression, he said to the person next to him, “Let’s go, bring me to see the toad’s master.”
Wen Buzuo asked anxiously, “How about Wen Leyang, what should we do now?”
Shan Duan pondered and said, “I better not say anything yet, there is something…peculiar!”
Wen Leyang was indeed at a very peculiar position at the moment.
The Poison of Earth surged into him like a swarm of bees. In a flash, the poison had spread to every inch of his skin and blood vessels. There was an unbearable heavy burden on his entire body. The heavy sensation was similar to the presence of glacier. It froze him in layers such that he could not move at all. However, the power of strong poison was still surging in from all directions and did not disappear. However, Wen Leyang’s body could not contain it anymore. Hence, the rest of the poisonous earth was still congested around his pores.
As his body became completely stiff under the strong Poison of Earth’s shackles, Wen Leyang felt a slight vibration on both his little fingers’ fingertips. It felt as if a thousand-year-old glacier had begun melting off. It felt it was melting into a drop of water but it also felt like a gush of spring water boring through the heavy bluestone, finally found a new outlet as it started flowing slowly and joyously.
The moment his fingertips loosened, the power of strong poison from the outside immediately replenished his body once again, filling his empty pores.
The frog’s stomach was an abyss of darkness. Wen Leyang was not aware of the situation outside and was not aware of how much time had pa.s.sed. The stiffness and heaviness of his little fingers’ fingertips had already melted off a few times, yet every single time, the same thing happened. His body was like a fully occupied public bus, as soon as someone got down from the bus, someone else from the outside would immediately try to squeeze in again.
It was unknown how much strong poison was out there, queuing up outside in an honest manner.
‘You’ve Got Me’ felt extremely bored in Wen Leyang’s mouth. After exploring his teeth, gums and tongue, it started a new adventure, which was to lie flat on the root of Wen Leyang’s tongue and put out its head to look down to the depth of his throat, then raised its head again and looked up to his nasal pa.s.sage. It was obviously hesitating, which way should it take, the human body was too complicated…
In the bamboo house where the skinny lad was held captive, Shan Duan behaved rather courteously. He chuckled as he said to the skinny lad, “You shuttled through the world riding on your giant toad, that must feel rather important.”
The skinny lad gave out a ‘hey’ and answered in a rather humbly, “It would be great if this was a few hundred years ago, but that won’t do now. Guns and weapons are everywhere. If I am not careful I will be shot down by the enemy.”
The group of cultivators, including Ji Fei and Shui Jing, resonated to the word ‘gun’ and shook their heads helplessly. Coincidently, they heaved a sigh together.