Between mountains and seas

Chapter 23: A Nest of Hooked Snakes

Crouching on the river bank, Shao Jingxing looked at Huo Qing with hope, "Where is the door?" If the hooked snake can go to the real world, there must be a gap in the barrier.He couldn't find it, Huo Qing must know, right?

Huo Qing pointed to the deep pool ahead: "It's at the bottom of the pool. We floated up from there."

Shao Jingxing was dumbfounded.The bottom of the pool?That is the old den of the hooked snake, he will never go into the water again!Then, we have to find another door?

"We can't just leave like this." Huo Qing looked at the deep pool and said slowly, "The cracks at the bottom of the pool must be filled. If the hooked snake is allowed to burrow like this, the cracks will become bigger and bigger." Now the hooked snake is just It can enter Ningbi Lake for a short time, and there are only a few sporadic ones. If it drags on, I am afraid that the deep pool and Ningbi Lake will form a passage. At that time, the hooked snake may be able to pass freely and directly enter the real world.

Shao Jingxing suspected that he had heard it wrong: "You don't want to go down to the pool to make up for it again, do you? I said you don't want to think about it!" After climbing up with great difficulty, and then jumping down by himself, wouldn't it be deadly?

Of course, he didn't dare to say the last sentence, but he expressed his meaning vividly and strongly with rich expressions.

Huo Qing remained silent.Shao Jingxing couldn't help but get hairs on his back: "You really think so? No—" He always used his brain very easily at such times, and suddenly he had an idea, "We can go out first, and then we can go out from Ningbi Lake. Fix it!"

The idea is simply brilliant.Shao Jingxing admired his brain for coming up with such a brilliant idea at a critical moment: "I'm right? How safe is this! Let's go, let's find the door!"

"No." Huo Qing ruthlessly rejected his proposal, "We can't keep these hooked snakes away from Ningbi Lake."

He looked at the seemingly calm black pool, and frowned tightly: "Do you know how many hooked snakes there are under the pool?"

Shao Jingxing thought for a while about what he saw along the way: "One hundred, one hundred and eighty, I guess..."

"It's definitely more than this number." Huo Qing said coldly, "There are so many people who come to attack us, and there are still people who can't squeeze in from the outside."

Shao Jingxing shivered: "Then, how much can there be?" Huo Qing said it so vividly that the more he imagined it, the more creepy he became, as if hooked snakes in the pool were holding knives, forks and plates, wanting to Squeezing in to have dinner...

Huo Qing asked without answering: "From the second era of mountains and seas to now, how many can they reproduce?"

"Well, this is not good..." Shao Jingxing said with the last bit of hope, "What if their reproductive capacity is not strong?" If they were so strong, they should have filled this black pool long ago, and then expanded outwards right?

"Snakes, even the ones with the lowest fecundity, can lay a few to a dozen eggs at a time. Although hook snakes have mutated, even if this number is reduced to one-tenth, it is an astonishing number over thousands of years Huo Qing looked around the black pool, "They didn't expand in all directions, so they should be restricted. As for the number - after the food in the black pool is eaten up, they can only devour each other." That's why the number has not reached A staggering number.

"Then they have now found a channel to hunt outside, and all the hooked snakes will dig this channel frantically." Huo Qing said coldly, "If it is not fundamentally curbed, the barrier over there will be difficult to maintain. But Ningbi Lake is a tourist area, so if you are a little negligent, there will be casualties immediately." Just like the child who disappeared before, it should have turned into a bone at the bottom of the lake by now.And the girl today, if Huo Qing was not present, the result would be the same.

Shao Jingxing opened his mouth and had nothing to say.He could imagine that Bishu Mountain Villa would not allow the special affairs department to put any barriers in their scenic spots.If this news leaks out, who would dare to live in Bishu Mountain Villa?There are too many things to talk about here, but if you drag it on, maybe a large group of hooked snakes will suddenly appear in the lake one day...

"Yes, you can go into the water, this, this is unlikely..."

"I can go down." Huo Qing stared at the pool and said thoughtfully, "It's actually very easy to go into the water..."

It's really easy, if you don't want to go down, even the hooked snake wants to pull you down.The question is what happens after the water?

"I need to find the cracks first." Huo Qing pondered, stroking his fingers lightly on the reef, "and then see how to repair them. In addition, I need to control these hooked snakes—even if the cracks are repaired, if the cracks are left alone They can't dig, either."

"Kill them all?" Shao Jingxing also felt that his idea was unreliable.How many hooked snakes, and the pool is so big, even if you drag the net back and forth several times, you can't guarantee to catch them all.

Huo Qing stared at the surface of the water and did not speak, but Shao Jingxing felt that he really had the stance to kill all the snakes in the pool.

"You, don't—" Shao Jingxing was afraid that he would just plunge into the water, so he quickly grabbed him, "Let's think of a way, sure, there must be a way."

Huo Qing was silent, but followed his strength and took a step back.Only then did Shao Jingxing heave a sigh of relief, and sat down on the shore, "Let's rest first." There was still a lot of pool water in his stomach, and he really wanted to vomit it out.

Both of them are in a mess now.The handmade shirt was kneaded like dried pickles, and the exquisite shell buttons on it had long since popped out of nowhere.The trouser legs were torn apart by the hooked snake's tail, and the exposed skin was covered with blue or purple strangle marks, as if they were put on leggings.

Shao Jingxing rubbed his calf and gasped in pain.It's been a rough day today.Drowning, still being entangled by the snake he fears the most, now that he thinks about it, he didn't die of fright, it was all because Huo Qing appeared by his side in time - no, if Huo Qing didn't appear in time, he would have drowned ...

Shao Jingxing touched his lips subconsciously.Although he was terrified and frightened, he still clearly remembered the feeling at that time.Speaking of which, is this the first time Huo Qing has saved him?

Huo Qing didn't notice Shao Jingxing's gaze.He also struggled up from the pool with disheveled clothes, but he still stood there firmly with stern eyes, as if he didn't realize how attractive he was now.

Shao Jingxing secretly glanced at it again and again.Huo Qing was wearing his shirt, which was already a little tight, but after a fight, all the buttons fell off and the seams were torn in several places.Blown by the breeze, the two fronts were opened wide, revealing a honey-colored chest and the looming outline of abdominal muscles.

Shao Jingxing actually didn't like the exaggerated muscle mass of Westerners, he always thought that the slender and tighter Easterners were better.Huo Qing's muscles are slender, not very obvious, but there is no fat at all, and the smooth skin is tight, and he can even see a little bit of the upper end of the mermaid line... Of course, the lower end is—— perhaps he was at that time Huo Qing should find a pair of low-waisted pants.

Shao Jingxing involuntarily touched his stomach quietly.He hasn't reached the age of getting fat, and he also pays attention to maintaining his figure on weekdays, but it feels soft when pinched, with more fat in his tentacles and less muscle...

no!Shao Jingxing clenched his fist secretly.He has to exercise, he has to exercise, he has to work hard!Even if it's not as perfect as Huo Qing, it can't be - he was thinking wildly, when Huo Qing suddenly turned his head and looked at him: "What do you think?"

Think, think?The idea is a little bit, but it's not a serious idea anyway.

Shao Jingxing hurriedly drove away the pink and light yellow thoughts in his mind, and stammered: "I, I was thinking..."

"En." Huo Qing still looked at him, as if he should come up with a solution.

Under such gaze, Shao Jingxing was under great pressure, desperately turning his seldom-used brain: "I, I feel, I feel..." He couldn't say anything for a long time, and finally collapsed under the pressure of Huo Qing's gaze Now, I started talking nonsense, "It would be great if there was a big cage that could cover the entire pool..." It's like the pagoda of the King of Tota, which contains a pool of water, and is afraid of hooked snakes ran away?

After talking about it, Shao Jingxing himself was too embarrassed to talk nonsense anymore, so he could only lower his head dejectedly: "I haven't figured out any good way to—"

"No. You're right."

"Ah?" Shao Jingxing raised his head in surprise, "Am I right?" Is there really a pagoda of the Heavenly King Tota?Or Fa Hai's alms bowl?

Huo Qing didn't care about the nonsense behind him, and said seriously: "There is a water suppression method."

For Shao Jingxing, this is really beyond the scope of knowledge. Huo Qing explained it for a long time, but he still looked at a loss: "So it is to throw pillars into the pool?" Of course, the pillars should be engraved with water-suppressing symbols, but isn't that just Is it carved?Hitting nine carved pillars can arrest the hooked snakes in the entire pool?It's not very scientific.

Huo Qing could only give up explaining: "Since you know the supernatural power, why can't you understand the spell?"

"Because it's unscientific—" Shao Jingxing replied blankly, "It's just carving a flower..."

Huo Qing finally couldn't help but pressed the center of his eyebrows: "It's not carving. The spell also borrows the power of mountains and seas, but in another way-forget it, it doesn't matter if you don't understand, and let Ji Xiaojiu slow down for you when you go back." Take your time to make up lessons."

Shao Jingxing nodded dizzily: "Then what are you doing now?"

Huo Qing looked at the pool of water: "First, we need to see where it is suitable to lay down the town water column."

"You still have to go into the water?" Shao Jingxing was startled.

"Of course." Huo Qing said it as a matter of course, "The water-suppressing pillars are not placed randomly. And after the water-suppressing, the cracks at the bottom of the pool may have to be repaired." Not only do they have to go into the water, but they have to go into the water more than once.

Shao Jingxing almost wanted to kneel down for him: "You still dare to go into the water!" No matter how powerful Huo Qing is, he is not a fish and cannot breathe in the water, so he has a disadvantage first.What's more, two fists are no match for four hands, and the hooked snake at the bottom of the pool has at least hundreds of tails, how can he beat it!

Huo Qing hesitated for a moment, looked at Shao Jingxing, and did not speak.

"Look, what am I doing?" Shao Jingxing was terrified, "No, you won't let me into the water, right?" Are you using him as a bait?

"Hooked snakes are born in deep water, they are afraid of light and fire." Huo Qing said very simply, but the meaning in the words was very clear.

Shao Jingxing only felt that the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end, and he stammered his refusal: "I, I, can't start a fire in the water. Just, when I was dragged into the water before, I wanted to hit it, but it didn't come out. ..."

"The supernatural fire is different from the ordinary fire." Huo Qing did not accept his excuse, "It's not that you didn't fire the fire at the time, it was because you were too scared and couldn't concentrate, so the fire you fired quickly went out. Do you think Think, is that so?"

Also, it really seems like this...

Shao Jingxing thought about it carefully.When he was dragged by the hooked snake to sink into the water, he managed to shoot the flame several times, but—not only was he unable to mobilize his abilities in fear, but also because he subconsciously felt that it was impossible for fire to be underwater. burning up.

So, can supernatural beings really ignite a fire underwater?But, even if it can ignite a fire, will it definitely scare the hooked snake away?

"You, how do you know that they are afraid of light and fire?" What if they are not afraid?Isn't that self-inflicted?So what, is it written in the Foreign Object Illustrated Book?

Huo Qing shook his head slowly: "It's not mentioned in the information. This kind of thing rarely appears. Someone once encountered it in the world of mountains and seas, but they were all dragged ashore and killed, and they were not brought back alive." Said, there is no live body for research.

Shao Jingxing was about to kneel again: "Then why do you say that they are afraid of light and fire?"

"Look at its eyes." Huo Qing directly raised the head of the hooked snake that had been dragged ashore to Shao Jingxing's eyes.

Although it is dead, this thing has a pair of big glass ball-like eyes still staring, and barbed teeth are still exposed in the wide-open mouth, it has a beautiful voice.

Shao Jingxing took a step back and tried his best to comfort himself that the guy was already dead, so he reluctantly took a look and said tremblingly, "What's wrong with the eyes?"

Huo Qing turned the snake's eyes to him: "The hooked snake's eyes are much larger than those of ordinary snakes, because it lives underwater for many years, especially in deep water, and needs better vision. You see, why it uses Does the tail go ashore to hook prey instead of biting with its mouth? I think it is because its eyes are afraid of the light, so it dare not put its head out of the water."

The hooked snake's eyeballs are indeed surprisingly large, almost occupying half of its head.Moreover, snakes don't have eyelids, so they look even more desperate.Shao Jingxing didn't want to look at it any longer, and said with a sad face, "This is all your guess..." What if it's not allowed...

"It's speculation." Huo Qing corrected him.Speculation is well-founded, cause and effect, otherwise it would be called blind guessing.

"Well, let's just speculate..." Shao Jingxing didn't think there was much difference between these two words, "But, it might be wrong..."

Huo Qing glanced at the pool and the forked snake tail still lurking in the shadow of the reef: "We can try it in shallow water first."

Shao Jingxing instinctively wanted to refuse.Huo Qing has already continued: "In shallow water, we can use spider silk to wrap around the reef, and if there is danger, we can be pulled up."

Even if there is a safety rope, is it sure to be safe?Besides, experimenting in shallow water is not the same as diving into deep water.A few sporadic hooked snakes are different from a large nest of snakes.

Shao Jingxing's lips twitched, trying to find something to say to refuse.Huo Qing looked at him for a while, then sighed slightly: "It's fine if you don't want to." He took off the Boundary Breaker from his wrist and handed it to Shao Jingxing, "You can take this. If I can't come up, you can find someone else." Go out to the place where the enchantment is weak, and let Corey start from Tember Lake. Or come in later, and find a way to deal with the hooked snake here."

"I, let's go out now, can't we find someone to come in and do it together?" Shao Jingxing finally thought of the reason.

Huo Qing shook his head: "I'm afraid we won't be able to get out in a short time." There is only the crack dug by the hooked snake nearby, and it is not so easy to find other barrier cracks.If we really wait until they go out to find a way, I am afraid that the barrier crack at the bottom of the pool will be able to pass through a group of hooked snakes.

If it was before, it would be a dangerous thing to suddenly fall into the world of mountains and seas without bringing any supplies.But if it's Shao Jingxing, then there's no need to worry.He wandered around, always finding gaps in the barrier.

"The Boundary Breaker was a bit damaged when I used it last time. Be careful when using it this time. If there is no unstable barrier, don't forcefully open the door, or it may explode." Huo Qing put the Boundary Breaker in Shao Jingxing's palm, "Be careful yourself."

This, how careful are you... Shao Jingxing wanted to cry but had no tears.Yes, he has something to eat. No matter what kind of special ability is mutated, he can eat it after being fired with his ability. It is nutritious and delicious.However, if Huo Qing was gone, wouldn't it be clear whether he ate those things or those things ate him?Huo Qing also told him to wander around, I'm afraid he would wander into someone else's belly if he wandered around!

"That's it, is there no other way..." Shao Jingxing looked at the Boundary Breaker, feeling very uncomfortable.This is the second time Huo Qing asked him to leave.However, if he left by himself, he couldn't survive at all!Woohoo, this is so embarrassing.

Just as Huo Qing was about to speak, the ground under his feet suddenly shook slightly, and even the black water surface of the deep pool became turbulent.When Shao Jingxing looked up, he felt that there seemed to be a double image on the surface of the water, faintly visible, which made people dizzy.

This scene is a bit familiar - Shao Jingxing suddenly remembered that when he entered the world of mountains and seas for the second time, when the earth dragon's enchantment was unstable, the surrounding scenery was also shaking like this - this is, the crack at the bottom of the pool is about to be dug open by the hooked snake?

Huo Qing didn't care to persuade Shao Jingxing any more, put the boundary breaking device into Shao Jingxing's hand, turned around and was about to walk into the water.Shao Jingxing was quick-witted and grabbed the hem of his clothes from behind: "I'll go into the water with you!" If Huo Qing couldn't get down, he wouldn't be able to survive either, so why not go gamble with him.Huo Qing was right before, but this time, I hope he is right too.

Huo Qing picked up the spider silk rope and tied it around the waists of the two, solemnly said: "You just need to let the fire burn, and leave the rest to me!"

I can only light a fire... Shao Jingxing thought bitterly, it would be a good thing to be able to go into the water with Huo Qing, if he is not angry enough, Huo Qing has to give him another breath or something?That, that is considered intimate, isn't it?

The ancients said: If you die under the peony flower, you can be a ghost even if you are a ghost.Now that he is a terminally ill person, it's worth it if he can be flirtatious...