Wei WuXian, “I agree as well. We should attack from the inside. But from what I’ve heard of your sect’s Chord Assassination technique, it wouldn’t be the most useful it can be if it’s inside the cramped environment inside the shell. And your leg injury still hasn’t healed yet. It probably wouldn’t be as put to good use as usual, would it?”

"You should be careful, Wuxian." said Lan Xichen.

"Always, brother-in-law." said Wei Wuxian.

This was the truth, and Lan WangJi understood. Both of them understood that forcing themselves to do things that they weren’t able to do would be useless except for dragging others down.

Wei WuXian, “Listen to me.”

"We will see how they work together." said Nie Huaisang excitedly.

"I already know that if Wei-xiong and Jiang-xiong fights together it was cruel but maybe working with Wangji-xiong is different." he added.

"I also want to see. Lovers works and fight the best when together." said MianMian.

"They're not together yet." said Jiang Cheng.

A small half of the Xuanwu’s shell was still above the surface of the water.

Its head, its tail, and all four of its limbs had shrunken inside. There was a large hole in the front, and five smaller holes lined up all around. It looked like an island or a small mountain, its body black and uneven, covered in moss and even long, dark green algae that hung down.

Without making a noise, carrying on his back a bundle of arrows and iron rods, Wei WuXian dove into the area before the head-hole of the Xuanwu of Slaughter as though he was a thin, silver fish.

"I'm really going to do that?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"As you can see, you will." said Jiang Cheng.

"You're really good at swimming, Wei Wuxian." said MianMian.

"Are you fangirling me?" asked Wei Wuxian with a tease.

"No." said MianMian.

"Why not?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"Why don't you mind how your lover looked at me?" asked MianMian.

Wei Wuxian turned to look at Lan Wangji who is glaring at MianMian with eyes full of jealousy.

"I don't want to die." she added.

The smaller half of the hole was submerged in the water of the pool, so Wei WuXian swum over along the flow of the water. After he passed through the hole, he flipped into the inside of the shell. Wei WuXian landed on both feet with a thud, as if he stepped into a thick layer of rotten mud mixed with water. The stench was so overwhelming that he almost cursed.

The stench was rancid though sickeningly saccharine. It reminded Wei WuXian of a fat dead rat that he had seen beside one of Yunmeng’s lakes. He pinched his nose, What a hell of a place… Good thing that I didn’t let Lan Zhan come in here. With such dislike towards even the water used to wash clothes, wouldn’t he start throwing up the second he smelled this? Even if he didn’t, he’d definitely pass out.

"That's so accurate." laughed Wei Wuxian together with his friends.

"Wei Ying is such a bully." said Lan Wangji.

"No, Lan Zhan." said Wei Wuxian while laughing.

Lan Wangji pinched his waist making him yelp.

"Deserved." laughed Jiang Cheng.

"You laughed at him too." said Wei Wuxian with a pout.

Gentle snores came from the Xuanwu of Slaughter. Wei WuXian walked while holding his breath, his feet sinking in deeper and deeper. After three steps, the sludge-like substance had already risen past his knees. Within the mud and the water, there seemed to be a few lumps as well. Wei WuXian bent down slightly and felt around. His hand suddenly came into contact with something fuzzy.

It seemed to be human hair.

"What the f*ck?!" cursed Jiang Cheng.

"That's gross." said Jin Zixuan with a face full of disgust.

Wei WuXian took his hand away. He knew that this was probably one of the people dragged inside by the Xuanwu of Slaughter. Feeling around some more, he found a boot. The half of a leg within the boot had already rotted to a point of being half-flesh and half-bone.

It seemed that the beast didn’t take to cleanliness at all. The leftovers that it either didn’t finish or couldn’t finish leaked out from between its fangs and into its shell. The more it ate, the more there were. Throughout the hundreds of years, it had piled into a thick layer. And, as of the moment, Wei WuXian was standing right amid the corpse sludge composed of broken limbs.

Gagging noises can be heard around the place.

"I can't take it anymore." said a random cultivator as he threw up.

"How did you survive there?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"I don't know." said Wei Wuxian with a face full of grimaced.

"Don't worry, you experienced more gross than that." said Jin Ling.

"Should I be happy?" asked Wei Wuxian.

After crawling around for the past few days, he was already so grimy that it was painful to look at. Wei WuXian didn’t care at all that he’d become even filthier. He carelessly wiped his hands on his trousers and continued to walk.

The snores of the beast sounded louder and louder. The waves of air became heavier, and the corpse sludge under his feet became thicker. Finally, his hand came into contact with the beast’s rough skin. He felt around as he slowly walked forward, along the skin. As he had expected, scales covered the head and the neck, but beneath that was a thick, uneven surface. The deeper he went, the thinner and more delicate the skin became.

At this point, the sludge had already risen to Wei WuXian’s waist. Most of the corpses here hadn’t been finished yet, the bodies left remaining in larger pieces. It shouldn’t be called a corpse sludge anymore, but rather a corpse mound. Wei WuXian reached behind his back, preparing to take out the arrows and the rods, but suddenly found that the bundle of rods seemed to be stuck to something and couldn’t be removed.

A lot cultivators threw up already.

"Damn, you guys are so weak." said Wei Wuxian.

"Are we included?" asked Zizhen as his face was already pale together with Jingyi and Jin Ling.

"You can take it." laughed Wei Wuxian as Jiang Cheng smacked Jingyi's back making his son threw up.

"Let it out. It's bad when you keep it." he said.

"You're so cruel, a-niang." said Jingyi as he wiped his mouth.

He clenched the handles of the rods and finally pulled it out, using all of his strength. At the same time, the front of the rods took out something with it from within the mound, letting out a soft clang.

Wei WuXian froze at once.

A few moments had passed, and no noise came from around him. The beast hadn’t lashed out either. He finally let out a breath of relief, The rods seemed to be stuck to something. Judging from the sound that it made, it’s also made of iron? And it’s quite long. Let’s see if it can be useful. I’m short of something to use as weapon. It’d be great if it’s a high level spiritual sword!

"Do not touch it." said Wen Rouhan.

"Why? It seemed useful." said Wei Wuxian.

"You'll regret it." said Wen Rouhan.

"Why is there a weapon inside?" asked Nie Huaisang.

"It's better if you don't know." saod Wen Rouhan.

"It's nothing spiritual." he added.

"You're making us curious." said Wei Wuxian.

"Do not dwell on it." said Lan Qiren.

He reached out and felt for the object. Its shape was long, though it was dull and covered in rust.

The second that he grabbed it, shrill screams sounded within Wei WuXian’s ears.

It was as if hundreds of thousands of people were wailing their lungs out in desperation right into his ears. Immediately, cold air travelled up his arm through his entire body. With a shiver, Wei WuXian pulled his hand away, What is this? Its energy of resentment is so strong!

"The f*ck!" cursed Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan as they covered their ears.

"Why is there a scream?" asked Wei Wuxian while also covering his ears.

"A sword full of resentment?" asked Jin Guangshan.

"That's nothing good." said Jiang Fengmian.

"Resentment is never good." said Wen Rouhan.

"How can we get it?" asked Jin Guangshan.

"You'll be dead first before you got a hold of it." said Wen Rouhan.

"That sword only answers to a master. It wouldn't show up to anyone." said Qingheng-jun

"Don't tell me I'm it's master." said Wei Wuxian.

"Father-in-law, I will never put myself in contact with resentment." he added.

"The Yin Iron Sword is strong. It killed a lot of people already. Only a person who has control in resentment can get a hold of it." said Qingheng-jun.

"But fuqin, Wei Wuxian only wield spiritual energy. How come the sword shows up to him?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Maybe that's how he became the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation." said Qingheng-jun.

Suddenly, his surroundings lit up. A light, orange glow casted out Wei WuXian’s shadow, illuminating a pitch-black sword made of iron in front of him. Slantedly, the sword pierced through where the heart of his shadow was.

This was the inside the shell of the Xuanwu of Slaughter—how could there be any light?

"Get out of there!" Jiang Cheng suddenly shouted.

"The beast have awoken." said Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji held Wei Wuxian tightly.

Wei WuXian spun around. As he had thought, a large pair of golden eyes was inches away from him.

He had just realized that the thundering snores had disappeared, while the orange glow was coming right out of the pair of Xuanwu eyes!

The Xuanwu of Slaughter flashed its criss-crossed fangs, an arrangement of black and yellow, and roared through its open mouth.

"Wei Ying!" exclaimed Lan Wangji.

"A-xian." said Jiang Yanli.

"I'm fine." said Wei Wuxian.

"How are you fine? He will eat you." said Jaing Cheng.

"I'm sure I won't die that time." said Wei Wuxian.

"That doesn't settle us, a-niang." said Sizhui as he gripped his mother's robe tightly.

Wei WuXian was standing just between its fangs. Attacked face-front by the waves of the roar, his ears felt as though they were about to explode and even his entire body began to hurt. Watching as it it lunged toward him, Wei WuXian stuffed the bundle of iron rods into its mouth. Both the timing and position was just right. Not a second over or an inch under, it locked into the upper and lower jaws of the beast!

"How are you not scared?" asked a younger disciple.

"How will I survive when I'm scared?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"You need to be brave." he added.

While the beast was unable to close its mouth, Wei WuXian stabbed an entire bundle of arrows into the most delicate part of its skin. Although the arrows were thin, Wei WuXian had tied five into one bundle and stuck it so deep into the beast’s flesh so that even the feather fletching had sunk in. It was as though they were a poisoned needle. Under the extreme pain, the Xuanwu forced its mouth shut so much that all of the iron rods between its fangs curved. The half-a-dozen straight rods were immediately pressed into the shape of a hook by its intense bite. Wei WuXian stuck a few more bundles of arrows into its soft skin. Ever since it was born, the beast had never been at so great of a disadvantage. It was mad with pain. Its snakelike body writhed as hard as it could within its shell and its head smashed around as well, causing the mound of corpses to churn with the force of a landslide. Wei WuXian was almost entirely submerged in the rancid limbs. The Xuanwu of Slaughter widened its eyes, magnifying the hideous yellow. Mouth opening, it seemed as though it wanted to swallow everything up. The corpse mound slid toward its mouth at the speed of a flood. Wei WuXian was struggling, swimming against the current, when he suddenly grabbed onto an iron sword. His heart sank. The piercing wails sounded within his ears again.

"A-niang." Sizhui called worriedly.

"This beast is quite clever." said Jin Guangshan.

"More clever than you." said Jin Ling.

"Surely, I will really die." said Wei Wuxian.

"Stop thinking too much. Didn't it say that I was the one who killed you? You won't die yet." said Jiang Cheng with a frown.

"Should I be relieve, ChengCheng?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"I'm just saying. It means you survived there." said Jing Cheng.

Wei WuXian’s body was already sucked into the mouth of the Xuanwu. Seeing that the beast was about to close its mouth, sword in hand, Wei WuXian used the same technique again and stuck it between the jaws of the beast.

The internal organs of hundred-year-old beasts like this one were usually capable of erosion. If one were to be swallowed, they’d melt into a wisp of smoke in an instant!

Wei WuXian grabbed firmly onto the sword. Like a pick, he was fixed to its mouth, unable to go either way. The Xuanwu of Slaughter slammed around for a while. It couldn’t swallow the pick no matter what, unable to close its mouth, but it didn’t want to loosen its mouth either. It finally shot out of its shell!

"Hold tightly, Wei-xiong." said Nie Huaisang.

"Don't ever let go." he added.

"Don't worry, your Lan Zhan is waiting outside." said Lan Xichen.

Lan Wangji and Sizhui was holding to him tightly.

"Just a few more minutes and you'll be safe." said Jiang Cheng.

It was afraid of how Wei WuXian stung it while it was within its shell. As though it wanted to escape, it tried as hard as it could to squeeze its body out, so hard that the delicate flesh that had been hidden under its armor was revealed as well. And Lan WangJi had already positioned the chord before the hole of its head. He had been waiting since long ago. As soon as the Xuanwu rushed outside, he pulled the chord tight and strummed across it. The bowstring vibrated and cut into its flesh!

The beast could neither go in nor come out, suppressed by the two’s attacks. It was a deformed beast and not truly divine. It never had much intelligence to begin with. Under the pain, it had gone completely insane, waving its head and its tail as it rampaged within the dark water. It tumbled inside a large whirlpool, stirring up crashing waves. But, no matter what it did, one of the two stuck firmly to its mouth so that it couldn’t eat anything while the other used a chord to strangle its thin vital region, cutting into it inch by inch. As the cut deepened, its bleeding also worsened!

"You two are cruel." laughed Nie Huaisang.

"Poor giant beast." he added.

"You're unbelievable, Huaisang. The beast deserved it." said Jiang Cheng.

"Still, he was sleeping peacefully yet he was disturbed and it ends on his death." said Nie Huaisang.

"That's how life is." said Jin Zixuan.

Lan WangJi pulled tightly on the chord, refusing to loosen up for even a split second. He held for six hours.

Six hours later was when the Xuanwu of Slaughter finally ceased to move.

"So Lan Zhan is the one who killed it?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"My Lan Zhan is so strong." he added.

"Hanguang-jun is the best!" cheered the juniors.

"Mn. My Lan Zhan is the best." said Wei Wuxian.

"Don't forget you're still inside the mouth of the beast." said Jiang Cheng.

"Way to ruin the moment, ChengCheng." said Wei Wuxian.

The vital region of the beast had almost been parted with the rest of its body due to Lan WangJi’s chord. Having overexerted his strength, his own palms were also covered in blood and gashes. The titan of a shell floated above the water. The pool had already been dyed a purple shade of red visible to the naked eye. The odor of blood was so thick that it could be mistaken for a pond from purgatory.

With a plop, Lan WangJi leaped into water and swam toward its head. The Xuanwu’s eyes were wide open. Its pupils had already dimmed, yet its mouth still bit down tightly.

Lan WangJi, “Wei Ying!”

No sound came from within the beast’s mouth.

"Is he still alive?" asked Jin Zixun.

"If he is, I will kill you." said Jiang Cheng.

"I will look for that beast for him to eat you." he added.

"I was just asking." said Jin Zixun.

"Mind how sensitive your question is. No one is happy to answer that." said Jingyi.

Lan WangJi reached out at once, grabbing the two rows of fangs and forcing them apart. Swimming in water without anything that he could use to support himself, he could only open them after straining for quite a while. Inside, he saw a black iron sword stuck within the mouth of the beast. Both the tip and the handle had pierced deep into its flesh. The blade had already been forced into a curvature.

Wei WuXian’s entire body was curled up in the shape of a shrimp. Head facing down, his hands still clenched onto the not-so-sharp blade of the sword. He had almost slid into the throat of the Xuanwu. Lan WangJi grabbed his lapel at once and pulled him out. As soon as the Xuanwu’s jaws loosened, the iron sword slipped into the water and sunk to the bottom.

Eyes tightly shut, Wei WuXian lay limply over Lan WangJi’s body, one arm around his shoulder. Holding his waist, Lan WangJi floated over the bloody water with him, “Wei Ying!”

"A-xian." said Jiang Yanli in full of worry.

"A-niang." called Sizhui.

"I am fine. I am safe, a-yuan, shijie." said Wei Wuxian.

"Not until I saw you open your eyes." said Jiang Cheng.

"Is ChengCheng worried about me, too?" asked Wei Wuxian with a tease.

"No. If you're not dead yet, then I will make sure that next time you will be." said Jiang Cheng.

"So cruel, my brother." laughed Wei Wuxian.

His hands trembled slightly. Just as he was about to touch Wei WuXian’s cheek, Wei WuXian suddenly shivered and woke up, “What’s happening? What’s happening? Is it dead? Is it dead?!”

He flopped lightly, causing both of their bodies to sink deeper into the water. Lan WangJi’s arm tightened around his waist, “It is!”

"Can't you stay still?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Look how you made him worried." he added.

"Oh, sorry Lan Zhan." said Wei Wuxian.

"Mn. It's nothing. As long as Wei Ying is safe." said Lan Wangji.

"You know how to swim?" asked Jiang Cheng while looking at Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji nodded his head.

"I thought Lans don't know how to swim." said Jiang Cheng.

"That's Sizhui, Jingyi, and Zewu-jun." said Jin Ling with a chuckle.

"How come my own son don't know swim?" asked Jiang Cheng.

Jingyi just grinned at him.

Wei WuXian’s gaze was blank, as though he had trouble realizing what was going on. He only replied after thinking for a while, “It’s dead? It’s dead… Great! It’s dead. Earlier on it kept on screaming, screaming as it rolled around, and then I fainted. Oh right, the hole! The hole underwater. Quick, let’s go. Let’s get out through the hole.”

Lan WangJi sensed that his behavior was strange, “What is wrong?”

"Why are acting strange?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"Maybe because of the resentful energy." said Wei Wuxian.

"You're right, that's the effect of resentful energy." said Wen Rouhan.

"You better stay away from it." he added.

Wei WuXian was suddenly energetic, “Nothing! Let’s get out as soon as possible. There’s no time to lose.”

There was indeed no time to lose. Lan WangJi nodded, “I will take you.”

Wei WuXian, “There’s no need…”

Yet, Lan WangJi’s right arm was still wrapped like an iron belt around his waist, stating in an irrefutable tone, “Breathe in.”

"Just listen to your husband." said MianMian.

The two men blushed at that.

"You guys will be safe at last." said Nie Huaisang.

"Only if the hole was still there which I doubted." said Jiang Cheng.

"When will you be positive in life, ChengCheng?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"No wonder you end up with the likes of Zewu-jun. You need positivity." said Jin Zixun.

Going underwater in such a daze was probably not the best idea. Wei WuXian didn’t like to force himself, either, and nodded. The two took in a deep breath and dove into the water.

A moment later, two splashes bursted from the purple-red water. The two slunk out again.

Wei WuXian spat out a mouthful of the bloody water and wiped his face, covering it with the purplish red. He looked even worse than before, “What’s wrong?! Why isn’t there a hole?!”

"See, I was right." said Jiang Cheng.

"You can have another job, Jiang-xiong. Future teller since you're good at it." said Nie Huaisang.

Jiang Cheng just glared at him.

"How can we escape now?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"You have to wait." said Jiang Cheng.

"I'm going to die." Wei Wuxian said dramatically making Lan Wangji tightened his grip at his waist.

Jiang Cheng had indeed said that there was a hole in the bottom of the pool able to let half a dozen people pass through at once, and the other disciples did indeed already escape from the hole. Wei WuXian had originally thought that it couldn’t be found because it was blocked by the Xuanwu’s body, but the corpse of the Xuanwu was already in a different place, yet there was still no hole where its body used to be.

Water dripped down Lan WangJi’s wet hair. He didn’t answer. The two looked at each other. Both thought of a daunting possibility.

It was likely that… Under the intense pain, when the Xuanwu of Slaughter was madly waving its limbs, it either shook the underwater rocks or kicked into a certain place, coincidentally causing the only hole that they could escape from… to be blocked.

"That's the most reasonable." said Lan Qiren.

"So we have to stay there for long?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"If you don't want to stay there for long, why don't you clean tye pool to be able to find the hole?" asked Su She.

"Why don't you do it?" asked Sizhui.

"You're the reason why they're stuck there in the first place." he added.