Soon, the large crowd that had been bottlenecked dispersed, and the scene became quiet, even a bit eerie and desolate.
The flickering flames of the dim oil lamps cast dancing shadows everywhere.
Only two people remained on site, one staring at the shimmering purple Nebula above, the other staring at the first person.
The former was Shi Chun, his eyes fixed only on the Nebula.
The supervisor who had given the order sized him up a few times, still feeling he was a bit unfamiliar. After his gaze lingered on Shi Chun’s arm wound, he asked again, “Which team are you from?”
Shi Chun completely ignored him.
Not only did he ignore him, but he also flashed and leaped onto the rib cage, using the Dragon Bone for a slight boost, then lightly soared onto the serpent's skull with its ferocious fangs. He tiptoed two steps to stand before the shimmering purple Nebula, observing it closely with curiosity.
The supervisor who had given the order was slightly surprised and questioned sharply, “What are you doing?”
He asked his question, Shi Chun asked his own, each asking their own, “What is this thing?”
The supervisor who had given the order: “How would I know? Only Mr. Shen probably knows about this.”
Time was running out, so Shi Chun dared not hesitate any longer. After a brief observation, he extended his hand to try and touch the shimmering purple Nebula.
Seeing this, the supervisor immediately said in a deep voice, “What are you doing? Didn’t you say we had to wait for Mr. Shen to come?”
“He hasn’t arrived yet, has he?” Shi Chun turned his head to look at him below, coaxing, “Do you think Mr.
Shen will let us know what this is when he arrives? Don’t you want to know what this is?”
The supervisor was slightly startled. Suddenly, he too flashed and leaped onto the Dragon Bone, staring at Shi Chun, and occasionally at the shimmering purple Nebula.
Shi Chun met his gaze several times. Seeing that he no longer spoke, Shi Chun immediately stopped hesitating, and his outstretched hand finally slowly entered the shimmering purple Nebula.
The supervisor’s eyes were fixed on them, occasionally glancing back at the passage behind, seemingly more worried than Shi Chun that Shen Youkun would suddenly appear.
After stirring his hand in the Nebula several times, Shi Chun couldn't help but exclaim “Oh?” He finally understood why the previous supervisor who had touched it had exclaimed so much.
It was because there was no sensation; his hand seemingly entered the shimmering purple Nebula, yet there was no feeling whatsoever, and the Nebula was like an ethereal illusion, remaining completely still despite the disturbance of a foreign object.
He blew hard several times, but it was no use.
The supervisor observing from the Dragon Bone looked back at the passage, and after confirming no one was there, he also flashed over to the other side of the shimmering purple Nebula, extended his hand to touch it, and started stirring alongside Shi Chun, one on the left, one on the right.
Any previous doubts about Shi Chun had been cast aside, at least for the moment.
He probably hadn't even expected that he would so quickly conspire with someone else, even without much persuasion.
The two of them felt completely like thieves stealing from their own watch.
Seeing no sensation, Shi Chun looked up and down, and his other hand also got busy. He used both hands to feel the empty space around the Nebula, trying to sense the source of power that kept this shimmering purple Nebula suspended here.
Suddenly, both men, one on the left and one on the right, almost simultaneously exclaimed “Oh?” as they found the shimmering purple Nebula had stirred, as if it had been agitated.
The supervisor was still somewhat bewildered.
Shi Chun, however, quickly focused on his left arm, specifically on the wound there. There was a cold sensation, and also a stinging pain.
When his hands were groping around, this injured left arm, without him noticing, naturally entered the shimmering purple Nebula. It seemed this left arm had stirred the Nebula.
He tried moving his left arm again, and indeed, the shimmering purple Nebula rippled once more, like surging clouds and mist.
The supervisor also saw it through the Nebula and realized what was happening, immediately asking, “What’s going on?”
“Who knows…” Shi Chun exclaimed in surprise, then suddenly gasped, drawing a sharp breath.
The wound suddenly stung intensely and bled again. The cold, stinging sensation seemed to pierce through his entire nervous system, making his whole body tremble and shiver.
For a moment, he felt like his soul was leaving his body, and sensing something was wrong, he dared not hesitate, quickly retracting his hand and backing away.
The supervisor was startled by his reaction and quickly retracted his own hand, stepping back from the Nebula.
Shi Chun, who had retreated, became even more terrified, discovering that the shimmering purple Nebula, like a curtain, had been pulled at a corner by his wound.
Shi Chun immediately used his right hand to repeatedly pull, trying to break the connection between the Nebula and his wound, because he felt something drilling into his body.
However, his right hand was like before; no matter how many movements he made, it had no effect on the Nebula.
He immediately channeled his power and cast a spell, but he couldn't sever the connection.
The fear of the unknown filled his heart.
Suddenly, the Nebula seemed to be activated by the nourishment of blood, bursting with new colors.
Starting from Shi Chun’s left arm wound, it rapidly spread throughout the entire Nebula, as if sweeping away its dust and gloom, instantly becoming even more shimmering purple and clear, radiating a vibrant, fresh brightness.
What was even more terrifying was that Shi Chun's body seemed to have become a funnel, and the Nebula poured like water into the wound on his left arm.
“Ugh…” Shi Chun instantly threw his head back, letting out a painful groan.
Although he was wearing a mask, the supervisor could feel the extent of his pain.
He was thoroughly frightened, worried about being implicated, and quickly jumped off the serpent's skull, landing between the Dragon Bone ribs, then backed up two steps, looking up with wide, uncertain eyes filled with surprise and alarm.
The shimmering purple flowing cloud quickly gathered and entirely entered Shi Chun’s body.
Shi Chun, with blood again dripping from his arm, felt as if his entire spine was being gnawed by countless insects, and his head felt like it was splitting into a million pieces.
The intensely painful tearing sensation made him unsteady on his feet.
He slipped from the already uneven serpent's skull, hitting the Dragon Bone with a thud, then falling through the ribs, landing on the ground with a clang.
The pain of hitting the ground was negligible for Shi Chun at this moment; the unbearable pain came from within his body.
He was drenched in cold sweat from the agony, twisting on the ground with his head in his hands, guttural gasps like a wild beast escaping his throat. His eyeballs felt like they were in blinding pain, wide open, yet seeing nothing.
The observing supervisor was truly startled. He wanted to go forward to help, but dared not approach, as if afraid of being infected.
Just as Shi Chun himself thought he was finished this time, he suddenly realized he seemed to have regained consciousness. Yes, it didn't seem as painful anymore.
He immediately clearly felt that the unbearable pain was receding like a tide, coming suddenly and leaving quickly, but the consequences for his body were not fleeting. His body felt like it no longer belonged to him after being torn apart.
The supervisor beside him was surprised. He found that his colleague didn't seem to be in as much pain, but the right eye beneath the mask seemed to faintly emit a pale purple light, though that purple light was slowly fading.
Shi Chun, lying on the ground, regained consciousness and also found that his vision was problematic; he couldn't see things clearly.
He frantically sensed around, realizing it wasn't that he couldn't see, but rather, when he closed his right eye, his left eye's vision was normal, and the situation in the mine tunnel was exactly the same as before.
However, when his left eye closed, what his right eye saw was a strange, hazy image, a translucent sensation of various colors mixing near and far. Occasionally, ethereal, flowing, brilliant light would flash across his vision, some sparkling or wriggling.
The overall background of the image was a light blue-green color, deep and profound.
This illusory image seemed unaffected by the cave's light; what should be bright was bright, and what should be dim remained dim.
In his right eye at this moment, apart from the outline of the Dragon Bone, the cave walls and everything else seemed to have disappeared, allowing for transparent viewing into the hazy distance.
He knew this must be the consequence of the shimmering purple Nebula.
Without time to think much, after assessing his ability to control his limbs, he immediately reached out to the surprised and observing supervisor, weakly gasping, “I feel so unwell, quick, help me to Mr. Shen, he should be able to save me, quick, help me, quick…”
The supervisor noticed that the purple light in his right eye had completely disappeared.
He hesitated for a moment, then approached and tentatively poked him with his foot. Then he slowly squatted down, touched him with his fingers, and seeing no apparent harm, he took his pulse.
He found his pulse and qi and blood were indeed chaotic and abnormal, and couldn't help but click his tongue, “Who told you to touch it recklessly? You brought this upon yourself.”
Although he said that, he still helped Shi Chun up and assisted him in walking out.
It wasn't out of great kindness, or a desire to help, but rather a necessity to deliver Shi Chun into Shen Youkun's hands, so this guy could explain himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to account for the disappearance of the shimmering purple Nebula to Shen Youkun, and given Shen Youkun's family background, he couldn't afford to offend him.
He figured that once this guy was handed over to Shen Youkun, Shen Youkun would probably be furious upon learning that he had absorbed the shimmering purple Nebula. Whether he would be saved or killed was truly uncertain.
Before they had walked a few steps, as he was lost in thought, letting Shi Chun fend for himself, he suddenly uttered a grunt and stumbled, abruptly separating from Shi Chun, with splatters of blood between them.
The supervisor clutched his neck with both hands, staggering backward until he leaned against the cave wall, his eyes wide, staring at Shi Chun.
Blood gushed like a spring from between his fingers; the wound on his neck was too deep and large. He trembled violently, leaning against the wall, making gurgling sounds as he slowly slid down.
Shi Chun, swinging the knife in his hand, also used too much force. His uncontrollable body spun several times, crashing into a rib of the Dragon Bone, losing his footing, and falling to the ground with a clang.
After gasping for breath on the ground for a while, even though his body felt terrible, and even though his vision was still confounded by strange images, he struggled to get up, swaying as he quickly headed towards the exit, not daring to delay another step.
He couldn't afford to delay.
Once Shen Youkun blocked him, he probably wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.
Back then, he wanted to make Shen Youkun wish he were dead, but his wish wasn't granted.
This time, when Shen Youkun blocked him, he would definitely retaliate, making him truly wish he were dead.
He put away the small knife and brushed off the dirt from his body, to avoid looking too disheveled.
He also grabbed a few handfuls of dirt and smeared them on the fresh bleeding whip marks, as their bloodied appearance would easily raise suspicion.
He knew his complexion must be terrible at this moment, which would also raise suspicion if seen.
Fortunately, he had his mask to cover it.
He quickly reached the “T”-shaped turn in the mine tunnel.
He tried his best to steady his swaying body, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.
As he turned the corner, he immediately saw a group of people waiting, and also a sight that startled him: when his right eye was closed, he saw a group of normal people; when his left eye was closed, he saw a group of whitish, misty, humanoid figures.
Everyone looked at him, especially Wu Jinliang among them.
Before anyone could speak, Shi Chun spoke first, “Excuse me, I have something to report to Mr.
Shen.”
This time, no one made things difficult.
Although some people disliked him, everyone quickly cleared a path.
Some people were sitting on the ground on both sides of the path, looking undemanding, as good things wouldn't fall to them anyway.
Being able to wait for food without working was considered a pleasure.