Gods of Destruction

Chapter Two: The Cavern

The Mount Mand Peak stretches for a thousand miles, with undulating terrain and sheer cliffs. The mountains are home to many fierce beasts and birds of prey, known for their savage nature and taste for human flesh, making it perilous for ordinary people to venture deep within.Yet, amidst the forest, there is a gaunt figure wandering aimlessly. Upon closer inspection, it is the surviving youth from Nasser Village, Nasser Reza.Having never stepped beyond the valley, Nasser Reza, who had never ventured outside, was unsure of where to go next. Thus, he chose a direction and pressed forward, knowing that as long as he continued in one direction, regardless of whether it was right or wrong, he would eventually find his way out of the forest.However, no one can maintain a constant direction over an extended period of travel, and Nasser Reza is no exception. Gradually, he has deviated from his original path.Unknowingly, Nasser Reza is heading deeper into Mount Mand Peak.After an unknown number of days, Nasser Reza's clothes are tattered, his food supplies have long been exhausted, and his backpack is missing. The only thing he still holds is a hatchet with a chipped edge.Dew as his drink, wild fruits as his food, a deep fatigue assaults his body. Many times, Nasser Reza wants to simply fall asleep and never wake up, but the obsession in his heart drives him to persist.How can he give up now? The lives of the entire village were mercilessly slaughtered. His parents lie cold and buried in the ground, and his sister's body was never found. Such deep-seated hatred and revenge weigh heavily on him. He must, no matter what, find a way out of this forest and seek vengeance.The path ahead is unclear and fraught with unknown dangers, but I am no longer afraid.The greatest fear of a person is death. Since I fear not death, what is there to fear?After a long time wandering in the forest, Nasser Reza exudes a scent akin to that of wild beasts. Perhaps because of this odor, he surprisingly encounters few ferocious beasts along the way.The long journey has also unintentionally toughened his emaciated body. His skin has become darker, and his tattered clothes occasionally reveal a few slightly bulging muscles.On this day, at noon, the dense jungle leaves a cool green shade on the ground. Occasionally, sunlight filters through, bringing a touch of brightness to the shadows beneath the forest canopy.While walking through the forest, Nasser Reza suddenly hears the sound of flowing water from a distance. Realizing that he hasn't had a proper wash for a long time, he decides to follow the sound.Turning a few corners, he finds himself in a broad, open area. The mountain stream, over a hundred feet high, cascades down from the mountain peak. The banks are lined with lush green pines, and at the bottom of the stream lies a pool of clear, green water. The cascading waterfall creates foamy white splashes.As the poem goes: "A white rainbow rises, a thousand snow waves fly. Cold air divides the green peaks, and the clear stream nourishes the verdant mist.""This is excellent water," he remarks.Nasser Reza sighed in relief, immediately stripping off his clothes and plunging into the water with a splash. The cool, refreshing sensation enveloped him instantly. The water reached up to his waist, and he sat on a green rock in the pool, just high enough to keep his head above the surface.Soaking in the pool, he felt as if the cool waters washed away his physical fatigue, mental disorientation, and inner worries in an instant. With his eyes closed, Nasser Reza enjoyed the tranquility and coolness, letting his mind wander freely, doing nothing and thinking of nothing. He felt as though he was blending into the clear water, the mountain stream, and even the very fabric of the world itself.After a long while, suddenly, the clear water began to churn, creating a splashy commotion that jolted Nasser Reza awake. Opening his eyes, he saw the water in front of him surging, sending waves crashing up. Alarmed, Nasser Reza then spotted a large green snake suddenly emerging from the water.The snake's color blended seamlessly with the clear water, making it nearly indistinguishable until it burst forth.The snake was over eight meters long and as thick as a barrel. Its eyes, the size of broad beans, glinted with a cold, malevolent gleam.Startled, Nasser Reza leaped out of the water and onto the shore. Ignoring his clothes scattered on the ground, he grabbed the chisel-marked axe and fled towards the edge of the mountain stream.However, before reaching the mouth of the mountain stream, the green snake had already coiled itself there. Its forked tongue flickered, and its small, bean-sized eyes fixedly stared at Nasser Reza.Nasser Reza turned and fled. As a teenager with only a battered axe, fighting this giant snake was akin to using an egg to hit a rock—an impossible and foolish endeavor.The green snake, seemingly quite intelligent, did not immediately attack. Its small eyes showed a hint of mockery as its sinuous body followed closely behind Nasser Reza.The man and the snake engaged in a deadly game of chase. Eventually, Nasser Reza was cornered at the bottom of the mountain stream, where the rushing water pounded against him, causing some pain.With no further retreat possible, Nasser Reza faced his dire situation.

"Eh?"Nasser Reza let out a startled exclamation as he reached his right hand behind him, expecting to feel the mountain wall, but instead found nothing.Looking back, he realized that behind the curtain of water was a hidden cave.At this moment, the giant snake seemed to lose interest in its game. It suddenly opened its gaping maw, revealing four fang-like teeth that emitted a chilling gleam. The snake's body writhed as its head darted towards Nasser Reza with incredible speed.In a flash, Nasser Reza swung his arm and hurled the axe with all his strength, not daring to glance at the giant snake again as he dashed toward the cave behind the waterfall.The spinning axe cut through the air with a whooshing sound, flying straight toward the snake's gaping maw. The snake's mouth snapped shut suddenly.The axe struck the scales on the snake's head, leaving a white mark before bouncing off and splashing into the water with a loud plop, sending ripples across the surface.The giant snake, in pain, exhibited a flicker of anger in its small, cold eyes. Its massive head plunged into the water curtain, but by then, Nasser Reza had disappeared into the cave.Looking at the cave, the giant snake's originally angry and fierce eyes suddenly showed a great fear, as if it had seen something extremely terrifying. The snake quickly turned its head, retreated from the waterfall, and disappeared into the pond below.As Nasser Reza entered the cave, he saw a series of milk-white, cone-shaped stones hanging from the ceiling, emitting a jade-like glow that drove away the darkness and illuminated the cave.The cave was deep and narrow. Nasser Reza walked at a steady pace, and after an uncertain amount of time, he suddenly saw a light ahead and quickened his pace.Suddenly, the scene before him brightened. Nasser Reza couldn't help but exclaim, "What a wonderful place!" Before him, the cave was covered in lush green moss, adorned with hanging pearls, with light filtering through and casting shimmering rays across the ground, which was full of unique and beautiful flowers.Nasser Reza marveled as he explored, unaware that the cave behind the waterfall held such a paradise-like place.After walking several dozen more steps, he suddenly saw two towering stone pillars. Looking up, he couldn't see the top of the cave. To his astonishment, he noticed the pillars were inscribed with a large, dark black inscription that was exceptionally profound and weighty:Overburden the flock to benevolence, the town seal evil eventually become good.The fourteen large characters, written with a powerful and majestic style, seemed to emanate a grand and profound aura that could almost penetrate into the depths of one's soul, leaving Nasser Reza momentarily stunned.After a long while, Nasser Reza came back to his senses and couldn't help but chuckle softly."Heh.""Protecting all life with benevolence," he mused, "when the entire Nasser family village was slaughtered, where was this great benevolence that protects all life?"Good is the end of evil.Even if there are demons in this world, to me, those martial artists who slaughter the innocent and treat lives as mere weeds are the greatest demons of all.Immediately, Nasser Reza shook off these thoughts and noticed that between the two towering pillars stood a massive stone tablet. The tablet was covered in complex and obscure runes, so intricate that they made one's head spin.Shaking his head to clear the dizziness, he suddenly noticed a human skeleton beside the stone tablet.Nasser Reza was startled but quickly regained his composure. The skeleton was just a dead object; there was nothing to fear.With this thought, Nasser Reza's courage faltered. As he examined the skeleton more closely, he noticed that it was different from ordinary bones. Instead of the typical ashen white, it had a jade-like luster.The skeleton was seated with its palms resting on its knees, suggesting a serene detachment from the world before death.Nasser Reza knelt before the skeleton, feeling a sense of respect for its apparent transcendence beyond life and death. In reverence, he bowed three times.Clang!After Nasser Reza completed his bows, a crisp sound suddenly came from the abdomen of the skeleton, and a round, pill-like object rolled out.