Chapter 93: I Swore the Oath for You

"There's something wrong in here," Zhang Kai responded decisively.

Brother Wang raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong about it?"

Zhang Kai replied, "I can't say for sure, but for now, it's best not to send anyone inside. Let me go first and check, figure out exactly what the problem is."

"Brother, are you sure you can handle it alone?" Brother Wang sounded worried.

Zhang Kai smiled. "Don't worry, I have ways to protect myself. If things go sideways, I can get out unharmed."

"Alright then, just be careful. There's not much to this place, but you absolutely can't afford to get into trouble," Brother Wang cautioned earnestly.

Zhang Kai smiled again, then turned and walked into the slope.

The moment he stepped down, he sensed the difference.

This slope seemed like a partition; the conditions inside and outside were completely distinct. Outside, a chill soaked the air, thick with gloomy energy. Inside, however, the atmosphere was heavy with moisture, almost fog-like—stretch out your hand, and it would come away wet.

Passing through the slope, he found before him an even darker area. His senses told him the space was vast, every inch saturated with water vapor.

Deep within lay an underground river, the source of the moisture seeping through. What startled Zhang Kai was the presence of strange beasts lurking in the vapor. Unlike the three ferocious beasts he'd encountered earlier, these creatures were nearly dissolved into the water vapor itself, shifting between form and emptiness, blending and separating at will.

As Zhang Kai stepped into the mist, the beasts seemed disturbed, their barely perceptible gazes fixed on him.

He narrowed his eyes.

There was only one gaze, yet it felt as though all the beasts were watching him. Could it be that these creatures not only merged and separated, but also acted as a single entity?

Well, whatever they were.

Now that he'd discovered them, he couldn't let them escape. For ordinary people, encountering such bizarre beasts spelled certain death—he had to seal them here.

With that resolve, Zhang Kai darted toward the underground river.

He quickly arrived, seeing a section of river exposed, three meters long and half a meter wide, water surging endlessly.

After observing the layout, he waved his hand, sending dozens of Seven-Spiral Slashes flying, striking the stone walls and digging deep. In an instant, he excavated a long stone, moved it over the river, and wedged it in place, perfectly sealing the water hole.

Then, pressing his hands together, he sliced more stone, hammered the foundation with Dragon-Slaying Palms, layering stone atop the underground water hole.

This action drew the attention of the beasts within the water tunnel, bewildering them.

What is he doing?

Did he think this would restrain them?

Ridiculous.

Intent on provoking Zhang Kai, the beast stirred, the vast moisture converging into a torrent, swirling madly, its head aimed directly at Zhang Kai.

Sensing the change, Zhang Kai grinned.

Damn, he'd been waiting for this.

Feigning indifference, he turned as the water stream rushed toward him, and pulled out the Spirit Tent, opening it wide.

The next moment, the water stream surged inside.

Within the Spirit Tent, a woman was being flattered by Lady Liu. Yet the woman remained indifferent, her expression blank.

Suddenly, the water crashed in, drenching her completely.

The woman: ???

"Insolence!"

Humiliated, her brows furrowed in anger. She extended her hand; the water stream seemed imprisoned, gathering a meter from her palm.

Forms of vaporized beasts were trapped within, unable to escape.

The beasts panicked.

A trap!

They had been ambushed by a powerful foe.

Shameless.

They tried to break free, but the force binding them was overwhelming. In no time, the water was drained, the beasts sealed within.

The primary consciousness of the beast recognized the woman, first stunned, then furious. "It's you! How can you attack us? This violates our agreement!"

The woman replied coldly, "Mere ants dare speak of agreements with me? Die."

She clenched her palm, and the water sphere exploded with a crash; every beast within was pulverized without the slightest resistance.

Lady Liu shrank back, full of fear.

She now knew the woman's identity—exalted beyond imagination, a being she'd never dared dream of serving. Given the chance, she naturally tried to curry favor.

Unfortunately, the woman wasn't interested.

Now, witnessing her terrifying power, Lady Liu grew even more anxious.

With Zhang Kai provoking her like this, what would happen when revenge came?

"Well done, Lady Liu. Next meal, give her an extra chicken drumstick," Zhang Kai's voice came through.

Lady Liu gave a nervous laugh.

The woman looked over coldly. "Are you done playing?"

"Playing? That's an interesting word. What exactly did I play with? Cut the nonsense—be a proper tool here. Maybe someday you'll get a chance to return," Zhang Kai retorted calmly.

The woman said, "You're cleansing the world of foreign breeds, aren't you? Do you realize that doing so will forever prevent the Three Realms from returning to normal?"

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Zhang Kai asked, puzzled.

The woman replied, "Don't feign ignorance. Forbidden matters—I don't believe you know nothing. Now, with the forbidden growing stronger, the Three Realms are passive. A breach is needed to overturn things, to grant the realms reversal power. You possess that power, yet you waste it here with games. Do you not wish to transcend? Under forbidden suppression, humanity cannot achieve immortality—you are no exception."

Zhang Kai laughed. "What I do is none of your business. The Three Realms? Also none of my business. What's wrong with cleansing foreign breeds? What's wrong with not achieving immortality? I do as I please."

With that, Zhang Kai stowed the Spirit Tent.

At that moment, the woman suddenly smiled, her eyes carrying a hint of triumph.

Likewise, Zhang Kai frowned.

She'd been silent all this time, suddenly speaking up—what was her motive?

Was she provoking him, hoping he'd do the opposite and hunt foreign breeds more aggressively?

Or was she trying to trap him in these questions, making him guess wildly and fall into her schemes?

Damn.

Those who live long truly are cunning foxes—always acting and speaking in ways impossible to read or predict.

Regardless.

He would remember her words and adapt as needed in the future.

As he pondered, the space changed again.

Moisture seeped from the ground, spreading everywhere.

Within the vapor, strange beasts flickered in and out of sight.

Zhang Kai was stunned.

What the hell was happening?

How were these beasts formed?

Perhaps none of these were the true bodies.

Their actual bodies were hidden within the underground water veins?

He tensed, troubled.

That would make dealing with them much harder.

Their true forms were unknown, their hiding places a mystery.

And with such vast water veins, if he disturbed them and let the beasts escape, it would spell disaster for humanity.

Damn—could the woman's words be connected to this situation?

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Kai summoned artificial intelligence, opened a virtual video, pulled out the statue of Ling'er’s mother from Legend of Sword and Fairy, and placed it atop the water veins. Then, he took out the Investiture of the Gods and solemnly declared, "Today, I appoint the descendant of Nuwa as the Guardian Deity, to suppress the water-type monsters at this place. The descendant of Nuwa pledges to use all the power and merit of her clan against these beasts. If the beasts persist, the Nuwa clan will never appear again. Let Heaven bear witness."

As he finished speaking, the Investiture of the Gods responded.

The statue was enshrined, its divine light majestic.

Ling'er's mother’s statue: ???

Monster Realm, Sage Nuwa: ???

Inside the Spirit Tent, the woman's smile froze.