DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS BOOK 4 OF 5 (SONG OF THE CAVE IMMORTAL) by Jin Yong

Laughing In Unison, It Was All For Naught In The End Part 3

After the time taken to eat a meal, water had rise up to Li QiuShui's mouth, she can't swim, she don't dare to copy Child Elder and float on the water surface, at once she stop breathing, she utilize her [Turtle Breathing Skill] and compete with her enemy, water flow past her eyes, eyebrows, forehead, but she still transmit her deep and profound internal energy endlessly. 'Gudu', 'Gudu', 'Gudu', Xu Zhu drank three mouthful of iced water, he shout loudly: "Ayo, i...i cannot....*Gudu*...*Gudu*...i.....*Gudu*...." he is panic-stricken, suddenly his vision turn dark, he can't see anything. He hastily shut his mouth, he breathe through his nose, as he inhale he felt the air in his chest is incomparably stuffy. As it turns out, the ice storehouse is sealed, there is no ventilation, the cotton burn for a long time, the fresh outside air cannot enter, the fire cannot burn smoothly and extinguish by itself. Xu Zhu and Child Elder had difficulties breathing, on the contrary Li QiuShui is still utilizing her [Turtle Breathing Skill] thus she did not detect anything.

Although the fire is extinguished, but iced water still flow down endlessly. Xu Zhu felt the iced water move past his lips, his philtrum, gradually it reach up to his nostrils, he pondered: "I am dieing, i am dieing!" however the internal energy of Child Elder and Li QiuShui still transmit endlessly from his left and right.

Xu Zhu felt the room is abnormally stuffy, his energy surge forward, it seems as if his five viscera and six bowels swap positions, the iced water is a hair breadth away from his nostrils, if it rise up a bit more he won't be able to breathe anymore, moreover his acupoints are sealed, he can't raise his neck. But its really strange, after a long time, unexpectedly the iced water did not rise up anymore, since the fire on the cotton extinguish, the ice chunks did not melt anymore. After a while, Xu Zhu felt stinging pain on his philtrum, immediately after the pain spread to his chin, and then to his neck. As it turns out, the ice storehouse is full of ice chunks, its extremely cold, when the iced water flow down they slowly turn back to ice again, unexpectedly the three of them are frozen in ice.

The ice condense and solidified, Child Elder and Li QiuShui are isolated from each other, their internal energy no long transmit into Xu Zhu, however as a result, more than half of their internal energy is sealed within Xu Zhu's body, the energy clash and collide with each other, its getting more and more violent. Xu Zhu felt his skin is about to burst and crack, although he is stuck within solid ice but he cannot bear the boiling heat.

He don't know how much time have pass, suddenly his body vibrated, unexpectedly the two stream of hot energy merge together with the energy originally within his body and became one, he did not need to guide it, the energy automatically rush to all his meridians and acupoints. As it turns out, Child Elder and Li QiuShui internal energy are locked in stalemate, there is no place to drain out, eventually it merge together with the internal energy of Wu YaZi. The internal energy of the three originated from the same sect, there is no difference in nature, its extremely easy to merge, when the three energy became one, the power is abundant and unstoppable, wherever the energy goes the sealed acupoints will immediately open up.

In an instant, Xu Zhu felt his body is free and comfortable, he shake his pair of hands lightly, there is a burst of 'Kalala' sound, the solid ice surrounding him immediately break up, he pondered: "I wonder what happen to martial aunt and martial great aunt, i have to save both of them and go out." He stretch out his hands and grope around, he felt solid ice everywhere, both of them already encased within the ice. Xu Zhu is panic-stricken, there is no time to think, he grab both of them, one arm carrying one person, he carried both of them along with the ice and walk to the 1st level of the ice storehouse, he push open the two heavy wooden door, he felt a burst of clean fresh air, he only inhale once and felt indescribable joy. The moon is glowing brightly in the sky, the shadows of flowers can be seen on the ground, its very late at night.

He felt happy and thought: "Escaping the imperial palace in the dark is much easier." he carried two blocks of ice and rush to the edge of the wall, he gathered his energy and jump up, unexpectedly his body kept rising up, he is 1 zhang higher than the top of the wall, however the rising force still did not end. Xu Zhu not expect the internal energy within his body to have such wonderful power, he is afraid he might rise up higher and higher, he shouted 'Ah'.

Four imperial guard happen to patrol outside the palace's walls, they heard someone shout and quickly rush forward to check, they saw two crystal blocks sandwich between a gray shadow, it jump over the wall and move away, they honestly don't know what kind of monster it is. The four guards stare stupidly, the three monster flash and entered the forest outside the palace's walls, the four guards yell out and chase, but where is the trace of the monsters? The four guards suspect it must be some supernatural being, they debate endlessly, some said its a mountain spirit, some claim its a flower demon.

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When Xu Zhu got out of the imperial palace he took large strides and rush quickly, the road is made of green flagstone, houses packed tightly together on either side of the road. He don't dare to linger, he kept running west. After running for a while he arrive at the city wall, he gathered his energy and jump up the wall, he flip over the wall and ran away, the soldier guarding the top of the wall felt his vision blur, he did not spot anything.

Xu Zhu rush towards a desolate area 10 li away from the city, there are no house in the area, he finally stop and put down the two ice blocks, he pondered: "I have to remove the ice surrounding them as soon as possible." he found a nearby brook and submerge the two ice blocks into the water. Under the moonlight, he saw Child Elder's mouth and nose exposed outside the ice block, but her eyes are shut tightly, he don't know if she is dead or alive. Ice fragments on the two ice blocks are wash away by the water, Xu Zhu held onto them and kept peeling, he remove the solid ice surrounding their bodies, afterwards he raise both of them out of the brook and touch their forehead, unexpectedly they are still quite warm, he felt really happy, he place both of them far apart, he is afraid that once they wake up they will start fighting again.

Half a day pass, the sky gradually turn bright, Xu Zhu sat down and rest. The sun rise from the east, the birds on the tree start chirping, Child Elder who is sitting under the northern tree gave a 'Yi' sound, Li QiuShui who is sitting under the southern tree gave an 'Ah' sound, unexpectedly both of them wake up at the same time.

Xu Zhu is extremely happy, he leap up and stand between them, he press his hands together and said: "Martial great aunt, martial aunt, the three of us narrowly escape and survive, you must not fight again!" Child Elder said: "No, how can i give up if that **** is not dead?" Li QiuShui said: "The hatred is deep as ocean, i won't rest until she dies." Xu Zhu wave both his hands randomly and said: "Absolutely not, absolutely not!"

Li QiuShui push off from the ground and throw herself towards Child Elder. Child Elder circulate both her hands, she concentrate her strength and wait for the opportunity to strike. Unexpectedly as Li QiuShui extended her waist to stand up, she immediately turn soft and collapsed. As for Child Elder, she can't form a circle with her arms, she lean against the tree and pant heavily.

Xu Zhu saw both of them have no strength to fight, he is elated and said: "Good, both of you rest here, i will find something for you to eat." he saw Child Elder and Li QiuShui sat down cross-legged, their palms and feet facing the sky, their posture identical, he knew these two martial sisters are channelling their internal energy, whoever can gather enough strength to launch the first strike and the opposing side would have no way to resist. Seeing such situation, Xu Zhu don't dare to move away from them. He look at Child Elder and look at Li QiuShui, their face full of wrinkles, their appearance haggard and withered, he pondered: "Martial great aunt is already 96 years old, martial aunt is at least 80 years old. Both of them so old already, unexpectedly both of them are so short-sighted, such bad temper."

He wring his clothes to squeeze out the water, suddenly there is a 'Pa' sound, an object fall on the ground, its the portrait given to him by Wu YaZi. The painting is drawn on tough silk fabric, its undamaged even after getting soaked. Xu Zhu spread the painting on a rock to let the sun dry it. The painting is somewhat fuzzy after getting soaked in water, he felt somewhat pity.

Li QiuShui heard the sound, she open her eyes slightly and saw the painting, she shout in a shrill voice: "Bring it here and let me see! Its a painting of me correct? Wonderful, i don't believe martial brother would draw a portrait of that lowly *****."

Child Elder shouted: "Don't let her see! I want to kill her personally. If that **** get angered to death won't she get off too lightly?"

Li QiuShui laugh out loud and said: "I already saw it, martial brother drew a portrait of me. You refuse to let me see the painting, evidently the person in the painting is not you. Martial brother is gifted in painting, how can he draw a midget like you who doesn't resemble a human or ghost? He is not drawing Zhong Kui (vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings) to catch ghost, why would he even draw you?"