Swoosh, swoosh!
The sound came from within the stone wall above their heads, resembling some creature burrowing and crawling through the rock.
"...Did you hear that sound?" Zhang Jin exclaimed in shock, the two exchanged a look.
At his words, Song Lin grew wary, pressing his ear against the cold stone surface.
Crash!
A sharp noise echoed near his ear, making Song Lin's heart jolt. Instinctively, he tilted his head to the side.
Crack!
The stone wall broke open, revealing a pitch-black fish head.
The fish head was about three fingers wide, pointed at the tip, and had marble-like patterns.
At the moment, the fish head squirmed constantly, stuck at the edge of the hole.
Song Lin's heart raced in fear. If his reaction had been slower, his head might have exploded just now.
Calming himself down, Song Lin carefully examined the object before him—it turned out to be a fish made out of stone! Judging by its appearance, it lived within stone.
In the instant he saw this creature, his worldview nearly shattered. But considering this was a world full of magical and divine abilities, he quickly accepted it.
Exposed to the air, the stone fish quickly became limp and powerless.
Song Lin seized it with one hand, pulling it out of the stone crevice. The creature resembled an ordinary carp, except its skin was made of stone, making it look odd.
"What is this thing?" Song Lin held the stone fish in one hand, turning to Zhang Jin.
This guy had been initiated into the sect longer than him.
"A stone fish? Could it be..." Zhang Jin's eyes lit up as he continued,
"Could it be a She Mountain Stone Fish? This is listed among the rare treasures! I've seen one at the Ghost Market before—it's worth five Jiachen Qi Nourishing Pills! Mr. Song, we've struck gold!!"
"Shame it's only a juvenile. I've heard that adult She Mountain Stone Fish grow as large as a human and consuming one can refine True Qi, granting one a robust amount of She Mountain True Qi."
Among cultivators, the realm of sensing Qi is referred to as 'Meditation.'
When the True Qi in the Dantian becomes abundant and circulates through the entire body, the realm is called 'fetal breathing.'
The fetal breathing realm permits disciples to obtain a higher-grade Child Talisman. Though not Taoists yet, they are Advanced Taoists, holding some measure of status—far superior to the low-level servant Taoists.
Breaking into fetal breathing requires pills, specifically Qi Nourishing Pills. Five Qi Nourishing Pills are just enough for one person to consume.
The two seemed to come to the same realization, and the smiles on their faces instantly disappeared.
At this moment, Zhang Jin suddenly said, "Haha, congratulations, Taoist friend. Since this item was found by you, it naturally belongs to you. Let's continue working, it's almost sundown."
"Alright, let's finish first and discuss later. We'll split it evenly then." Song Lin tied the stone fish tightly with a rope and hung it at his waist, silently keeping his guard up.
He was no longer the naive young man of his past life, but a modern soul tempered by workplace experience.
Even in modern civilization, people often fought fiercely for benefits, let alone in an era ruled by fists.
Of course, Song Lin didn't intend to give up any benefits—this world was perilous, and one could face calamity at any moment.
Both harbored ulterior motives, and soon finished scraping off all the moss.
Song Lin untied the rope from his waist, secured the bag around himself, and began climbing down the rocks.
Zhang Jin followed closely, staring at Song Lin's back with a complicated expression that gradually twisted into a ruthless glare.
Initiated at eighteen, Zhang Jin had spent eight years at Xuanke Temple. At twenty-six years old, his chances of advancing were slim—he had to seize every opportunity.
Song Lin barely had any defenses...
With this thought, Zhang Jin cautiously pulled out a sickle, preparing for the moment Song Lin landed ahead.
Crash!
Zhang Jin released the rock he was gripping with his left hand, wielding the sickle with his right hand. He struck downward at Song Lin's head from above.
The blow aimed directly at the vulnerable spot—a killing strike from the start.
Almost simultaneously, Song Lin abruptly turned around, a knowing expression flashing across his face, as if he'd anticipated this.
"Die!!"
Song Lin suddenly flung his bag, releasing yellow powder mixed with moss onto Zhang Jin.
"Ah!!!"
Zhang Jin's skin corroded, forming pitted scars that emitted black smoke. Clutching his eyes, he howled in pain.
Once-close roommates now fought violently in desolate wilderness.
Song Lin quickly distanced himself, fearing the poison might touch him. Watching the writhing figure, he sneered, "Hmph, I've been on guard all along, and you still dare to kill me?"
Zhang Jin's skin was blistered, bubbling like a pig roasted alive.
Lying on the ground, he struggled and screamed miserably.
Song Lin hesitated, then stooped to pick up the sickle, moving slowly forward.
Only one of them could survive.
At a crucial juncture, hesitation could mean death.
Even though Song Lin had never killed anyone and felt faint-hearted, now was not the time for indecision—this man must die!
As Song Lin approached, he noticed a flicker of fire beneath Zhang Jin.
Crash!
Scorching flames lunged toward Song Lin's face. Alert, he tilted his head, narrowly dodging the blaze that singed his hair.
Yet another surge of fire followed.
"Not good!" Song Lin felt an immediate sense of danger. He raised the sickle to block the flames, then rolled sideways to evade.
Clang!
The sickle snapped, and a sharp pain trembled through his hand.
As Song Lin looked up, he saw Zhang Jin stagger to his feet.
Zhang Jin's clothing was in tatters, his green pus-covered skin terrifyingly disfigured. In his hand was a burning wooden sword.
"Song Lin, you're dead!!!" Zhang Jin roared in fury, downed a dose of powder, and rushed toward Song Lin with the sword.
Run!
Song Lin sprang to his feet, clutching the stone fish as he fled deep into the forest.
"Hmph! Think you can run?" Zhang Jin snarled, the rage in his heart boiling over like lava. "You injured me, you worthless scum. I'll dismember you!"
The wooden sword blazed furiously, slicing through tree trunks as wide as bowls with ease. Several times, it nearly struck Song Lin's back.
Although Zhang Jin's cultivation was slightly stronger, his injuries slowed him down momentarily.
Soon, the chase led them to the edge of a cliff.
Song Lin halted abruptly, glancing back at Zhang Jin, who was closing in step by step:
"Cough, cough. Take the stone fish—just let me go! Otherwise, both of us perish!"
"Both perish?" Zhang Jin sneered maliciously, glancing at the fiery wooden sword engraved with a cinnabar seal. "I spent almost my entire fortune getting a Taoist to enchant this sword with the Three Yang Fire Seal. Do you think you can beat me?"
Zhang Jin advanced, swinging the sword down low.
He understood well—there's no reason to waste words; kill the enemy first, talk later.
"Catch!!"
Song Lin untied the stone fish, pretended to throw it forward.
Zhang Jin instinctively glanced behind him—nothing there.
"You bastard! Give me back the stone fish!!"
When he looked forward again, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Song Lin had climbed down the cliff, disappearing with the stone fish in a flash.
The cliff wasn't high—about four or five zhang. Zhang Jin followed down.
The bottom of the cliff opened into a valley nestled between two mountain ridges, shrouded in dense mist.
Song Lin had crawled into a burrow. He wasn't sure if it was made by a grizzly bear or some other creature, but the entrance was small, requiring him to crouch down to squeeze inside.
"What do I do now?" Song Lin frowned, his mind racing with danger—it was gut-wrenching to face a life-and-death situation so soon after crossing worlds.
In this moment, he understood deeply the cruelty of this world.
The stone fish in his arms struggled relentlessly, and Song Lin quickly pinned it down lest it make too much noise.
He had to find a chance to escape.
Facing Zhang Jin head-on was impossible—the guy's enchanted weapon could sever metal and stone with ease. With his scrawny limbs, a mere graze would kill him.
His best bet was to flee to the Taoist Temple, where Zhang Jin wouldn't dare act.
The outside seemed to quiet down with time.
Suddenly, footsteps approached, growing louder.
"Not good!"
Song Lin cursed inwardly.
At that moment, he felt sharp pain in his right hand. The stone fish bit into his wrist, blood streaming down his arm.
But that wasn't all. His palm began to burn, and his blood reversed course, gathering in the center of his palm. In the void, a crimson, winding rune materialized before him.
The rune was square-shaped, about the size of a book, its blood-red patterns resembling swimming tadpoles. The symbols eventually formed four ancient characters: Monster Chronicles.
Monster Chronicles?
Wasn't this the ancient book he'd purchased at the antique market—the one that claimed to compile all the mythologies and supernatural tales of old? He had been engrossed in its stories before waking up in this world.
Guided by impulse, Song Lin touched the rune.
Cool at his fingertips, the ancient characters rearranged themselves into new words: Lao Mountain Taoist.
Crash!
His vision darkened, dizziness overwhelming him as he lost consciousness on the spot.
......
(New book launch—brothers, I need your support! Reading until the latest Chapter counts as support!)