Supreme Swordsman of the Nine Heavens

Nightmare Shore

Mu Yu and Xiaoshuai returned to the linden tree three hours after beginning their journey at the same time A-Dai’s group returned, leading to Mu Yu wishing he had chosen a different direction since they were the only ones around.

“Well, at least we can rule off two paths.” Mu Yu tried to mask his awkwardness with calmness.

“Yeah, our path and your path can be ruled out.” Tian Ran nodded.

“Xiaoshuai, come here.”

Right after preparing to jump to Qiao Xue, he turned back and grabbed onto Mu Yu while profusely shaking his head. “No, I’m staying with Mu Yu. I love Mu Yu. I’m staying with Mu Yu.”

Mu Yu patted Xiaoshuai. “Be nice to Xiaoshuai. He’s adorable.”

“Really now?” Tian Ran sat on a branch of the linden tree.

Mu Yu coughed. “Let’s wait for the others to return.”

“Xiaoshuai, let’s play,” requested A-Dai, unable to follow the conversation.

Xiaoshuai ran to the tree to fasten two soft branches to another branch. “Let’s play on the swing.”

“I also want to play.” A-Dai shrunk down to two metres tall and clumsily made a makeshift swing as Xiaoshuai did. When he sat on it, unfortunately, he fell straight into the water, making the girls laugh. After getting out, he guilelessly laughed along with everyone else.

“A-Dai, have you played in the ocean before?” Mu Yu inquired.

“A-Dai has been to many places, including the ocean. A-Dai doesn’t like the ocean because there are no primordial beasts in the ocean, and it’s too noisy in the water.”

“Noisy? There are only waves here,” Qiao Xue disputed.

A-Dai wiped his ear with his thumb. “Not on the surface but in the water. There is lots of noise in the water. A-Dai doesn’t like the sounds because it makes A-Dai sleepy.”

“Really?” The inquisitive Xiaoshuai flew off his swing and into the water. Not long after, he floated back up, snoring.

“Xiaoshuaisuhai, wake up.” A-Dai fished Xiaoshuai out of the water and petted his buddy awake.

“The water is bizarre,” Xiaoshuai dazedly relayed.

“How so?” Mu Yu asked.

“I heard someone call for me. When I tried to listen in, I felt groggy and passed out.” Xiaoshuai snored.

Curious, Mu Yu dove down and also heard a peculiar voice replace the sound of the waves. He thought, I can’t tell if it’s a high-pitch scream or a cry, but it’s in my head and… I need to get to the surface.

“Did you hear anything?” Qiao Xue inquired once Mu Yu returned to the surface.

“I didn’t feel sleepy. Instead, I heard a shrill.”

Qiao Xue decided to explore for herself and resurfaced breathing laboriously. “I… I heard…”

“What did you hear?” Mu Yu queried.

“I heard villagers threatening to burn me.”

Tian Ran tried after Qiao Xue and informed, “I heard voices from Secular World Sect, but… but they’re supposed to be dead.”

Mu Yu steeled his resolve and dove back down, sticking there for longer to try and make out what the shrieks were. To his shock, he recognised the source of the cries – Eastern Desert City.

“Why does everyone look aghast?” Ximen Buxing and Wanwan returned, with Lie Shang arriving soon after.

“The water isn’t any ordinary water,” Mu Yu reported.

“Like what?” Ximen Buxing dove down and returned as sleeping Ximen Buxing.

Smack! Wanwan slapped Ximen Buxing awake. “Is this any time to be sleeping?”

“That hurt. Can’t you be gentler?” Ximen Buxing massaged his cheek.

“What did you hear?” Mu Yu questioned.

“Nothing. I just felt sleepy. You going to try, Wanwan?”

“As if.”

After hearing what Mu Yu told them, Cheng Yan decided to investigate and, at long last, found an answer. “If I’m correct, this is a place Shifu mentioned – Nightmare Shore. When you’re in the water, you’ll be presented with your worst memories. If you stay for too long, those memories can torment you to death.”

“Why did I fall asleep?” Xiaoshuai inquired.

Cheng Yan replied, “Heartless folks don’t have much on their minds, so they fall asleep.”

“Brother Cheng Yan, that’s mean of you. How am I heartless? I leave behind a piece of my heart everywhere I go,” Ximen Buxing, who did whatever he liked whenever he liked and, therefore, did not have any woes, whined.

“Is it solely intended to trap us here?” Wanwan questioned.

“Most probably,” assumed Cheng Yan.

“We’re all back here after flying.” Mu Yu scooped up some ocean water. “I assume we all realise which way leads out.”

“No,” responded Ximen Buxing.

“How can someone be so painfully stupid? Underneath your feet, right, Mu Yu?” Wanwan gave Mu Yu a wink.

Mu Yu sighed as he felt four aggressive beams on him. “I believe there’s a way out through the bottom. The question is, how do we reach the bottom? I’ve tried using a tree branch to dive. Sadly, the voice still gets to me. I guess this is why the chances of escaping via this route are next to none.”

“Let’s wait for the others to return first,” suggested Cheng Yan.

Gu Yitian and Chu Xiachi came back not long after. Howbeit, Xiang Nan and Yu Mo were still nowhere to be seen the sixth hour since setting out.

“Brother Xiang Nan isn’t the time to lose track of time,” Mu Yu voiced.

“You think they ran into something?” Cheng Yan regarded Mu Yu. “Let’s go search for them.”

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