Chapter 110: Enlightenment
Li Yanchu’s gaze fell on the large black dog. This fierce, massive creature raised by the southwestern cultivator Zhang Ping had a sleek, glossy coat and moved with a quiet, deadly grace. Its eyes would occasionally show faintly humanlike expressions and flashes of intelligence that startled Li Yanchu.
It reminded him of Blackie back at the Daoist temple, whose face often bore that roguish, devil-may-care smirk. Compared to that one, this big black dog actually looked less human.
The dog moved swiftly, disappearing down the pitch-black corridor almost silently as it ran. Even Master Shenshan and Daoist Master Yuanyi paused, seemingly placing great trust in this unassuming middle-aged man.
Wang Yunting stood with his arms crossed, and a flicker of disdain flashed in his eyes. By rights, he was the legitimate Mojin Xiaowei, a professional tomb-raider by bloodline. Having Zhang Ping send a dog ahead to scout the path felt like a challenge to his expertise.
As the seconds ticked by, Li Yanchu began silently reviewing their party. By the light of the torches, everyone's faces looked ghostly and uncertain, flickering with shadows.
In total, there were representatives from three Daoist temples and five Buddhist monasteries, each with two members. A few disciples remained aboveground to assist.
Then there were the wandering experts: the yin-yang master, Granny Chang, the deathly pale Old Ghost Wu, Yan Chixiao, the scholarly tomb-raider Wang Yunting, the ferryman Hu Li, the beast-tamer Zhang Ping, and Mr. Ma with the Immortal Summoning Art. Including himself and Bai Hongtu, that made twenty-six people in total.
Roughly the time it took to burn half a stick of incense later, the ferocious dog returned. It let out a few low, urgent barks to Zhang Ping, and Zhang Ping's expression darkened.
Then suddenly, whoosh! Every single torch extinguished simultaneously, and the tomb passage was plunged into total darkness.
Whoosh!
A powerful gust of wind howled through the corridor, thick with a heavy, fetid stench as if something was coming.
The change was abrupt, unnaturally so. The fire had gone out in an instant, and just as everyone’s vision was swallowed by darkness, the wind hit. It all happened in a flash.