Volume One: The Soul-Gathering Gourd and the Flame of the Spirit Chapter 111: The Blood-Red Oasis

On the edge of the desert, a chilling, uncanny breeze stirred. A pungent scent of burning hung heavy in the cold air, and the atmosphere grew suddenly oppressive.

Gu Mo, squatting on the ground, stared with eyes as wide as saucers, his face a mask of bewilderment as he blurted out, "Brother Xiao, what on earth are you up to? How did even an artifact from the Underworld end up in this mess?"

Xiao Yulou, possessing the refined air of an immortal, merely flicked the ash from his cigarette with nonchalant grace, showing no intention of revealing his secrets. Instead, he turned his head toward Li Hetang and remarked, "Brother Hetang, before the great battle, you shall encounter an old acquaintance."

With those words, Li Hetang was left just as perplexed as the others. It seemed as if Xiao Yulou took great pleasure in the confusion of those around him. Indeed, among the four of them, only this lecherous Taoist priest could cast lots, predict fortunes, and steer clear of catastrophe. He was certainly showing off, putting on airs—but one had to admit, this damned Xiao Yulou loved nothing more than stirring the pot. It was as if he wouldn't be satisfied until everyone around him was completely baffled.

First, the children in the shelter cave were suddenly taken away, leaving Min Wenhua, that iron-willed man, utterly bewildered. Then, an artifact from the Underworld appeared in the depths of the desert, leaving Gu Mo, the owner of the incense shop, equally stunned. Finally, the prediction that Li Hetang would meet an old acquaintance left the armed captain of the food processing company just as confused. A sea of questions crashed over the three men like a tidal wave, pinning them against the shore of their own uncertainty.

After finishing his cigarette, Xiao Yulou faced their rolled eyes with a calm demeanor, forming a Taoist hand seal as he said leisurely, "This old acquaintance of Brother Hetang’s will thoroughly dispose of the foreign ninjas. You need only deal with the Underworld artifact that follows."

Without waiting for their protests, he turned his attention to Gu Mo. "Brother Gu, the danger ahead is extreme. You must be fully prepared."

Hearing this, Gu Mo swallowed hard and reached into his pocket, fumbling for the fuzzy Gluttonous Ghost. When he felt the soft, furry creature, a heavy weight lifted from his heart, and his racing pulse finally steadied. Before anyone could react, the immortal-looking Xiao Yulou snuffed out his cigarette, stood up, and strode away.

A mysterious and tranquil voice drifted back to them: "Follow the will of Heaven... follow the will of Heaven!"

Gu Mo, Li Hetang, and Min Wenhua exchanged baffled glances. They had no idea what kind of mischief Xiao Yulou was playing at. It seemed the words of those who cultivated the Way were always ambiguous and shrouded in mist. Li Hetang frowned at the discarded cigarette butt on the ground and reached down to pick it up. (Seeing this, the reader is likely just as confused as the characters. Li Hetang did this simply because he did not want to leave any traces behind. Of course, this unintentional act would go on to save the lives of the entire team in the battles to come.)

Back to the matter at hand: after a few sighs, the "confused trio" had no choice but to grab their weapons and gear, following the priest into the unknown.

At a glance, the four of them moved in a single-file line through the deep desert. The formation was precise: Xiao Yulou, in his black Taoist robes, led the way. His Taoist arts were unfathomable, and his unique "Ghost Eyes" were razor-sharp. Besides, the lecherous priest walked with long, hurried strides, never considering those behind him; leaving him in the lead was a matter of necessity.

Close behind him was Min Wenhua, gripping a spiked spear and a Type 94 pistol, his eyes scanning the left flank. As a former elite soldier, he was undoubtedly the most rugged member of the squad, ready to charge at the first sign of trouble. Gu Mo, clutching his "Heaven-Measuring Ruler," followed in the third position, his expression solemn as he observed the right flank. This was a vital position, the core of the formation—naturally, since a fierce battle awaited the protagonist of this story, protecting Gu Mo was a matter of course. Li Hetang brought up the rear with his rifle, keeping a constant watch behind them.

Li Hetang, with his rifle, could provide heavy fire support to the other three. In critical moments, he could even activate his stealth mode to carry out silent assassinations. Finally, there was the fuzzy Gluttonous Ghost, fast asleep in Gu Mo’s arms. Although Xiao Yulou claimed the creature was digesting and absorbing energy, no one but the priest and the "little black ball" itself knew what it was actually consuming.

...

In the blink of an eye, the four had traveled for several hours. The chilling wind and encroaching darkness made the already eerie desert depths feel even more abnormal. A thick, bloody stench mixed with the smell of scorched earth hung in the air, and the smoke and fire in the distance became increasingly visible.

Suddenly, Xiao Yulou, who was in front, squatted down without warning. The three behind him widened their eyes, immediately crouching and scanning their surroundings with vigilance. Li Hetang pressed his back against Gu Mo’s, rifle at the ready, fearing an ambush. Yet, besides the fire and smoke, there was only an endless expanse of sand; not even a blade of cactus could be seen, let alone an enemy.

The confused trio was once again at a loss. After a few seconds, Li Hetang, still on high alert, found nothing amiss. Puzzled, he frowned and asked in a low voice, "Brother Xiao, what is the situation?"

Xiao Yulou, looking blank, slowly took off his cloth shoes and turned around, looking utterly bewildered. "Emmmm... some sand got into my shoe. Why are you three so tense?" As he spoke, the insufferably lecherous priest shook his shoe out.

Sand... sand in his shoe? Damn it! For a moment, the three men behind him were left speechless, their faces dark with irritation. They felt like surrounding him and giving him a sound thrashing just to vent their anger.

Before they could act, Xiao Yulou raised an eyebrow with a look of disdain. "Gentlemen, I already said that we do not need to intervene in this battle. Brother Gu only needs to face the Underworld artifact later. Did you take my words as wind?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he put his shoes back on, flicked his sleeves, and strode forward as if nothing had happened. Gu Mo and the others gritted their teeth in frustration. Damn it! This rascal of a priest was truly infuriating!

After that brief farce, the four walked for another few hours in silence.

*Swoosh, swoosh.*

Their footsteps made faint sounds in the yellow sand. Suddenly, fire erupted in the distance, billows of smoke rose, and the suffocating, complex stench grew even stronger. The four of them instinctively ducked behind the leeward side of a small dune to peer ahead.

Thick, black smoke shot toward the sky, and a blood-red moon hung like a jade disk, looking exceptionally sinister. A blood-red moon? Truly cursed!

Under the moonlight, four rusted steel warships were visible. They looked like terrifying beasts buried in the fine sand. A massive, clumsy submarine was wedged into the sand at a 30-degree angle, a silent testament to a history that defied explanation.

Looking to the side, the scene was dominated by a mountain of corpses. The four of them were shocked to the core. A rough estimate suggested there were hundreds of bodies piled up! A foul, bloody stench drifted from the heap. Beneath the pile lay a strangely calm oasis of blood. In this blood-red oasis, twenty-some severed heads were scattered, their dull, gray eyes staring toward Gu Mo’s group, while severed limbs were visible everywhere. From the mass of mangled bodies, organs flowed out, staining the sand a terrifying, unnatural color. The deep red, fresh blood had saturated the sand dune to the point where it could not soak in any further. The orange light from the abandoned warships cast an eerie glow upon this mountain of corpses and sea of blood.

A sense of bone-chilling terror washed over the four. Gu Mo felt a shiver run down his spine, and beads of sweat the size of peas broke out on his forehead. This was no mere desert; it was a living hell. Even the ghosts and soldiers of the Underworld would tremble at the sight!

If it were just one or two bodies, Gu Mo might have managed to stay composed, but the sheer scale of the carnage left even Li Hetang, who had seen his share of battlefields, speechless. With his blood boiling, Gu Mo swallowed hard and continued to watch.

A massive hole had been blown into the hull of a dilapidated warship. A dozen ninjas in black night-crawling gear stood before another smoke-billowing vessel, their samurai swords drawn and ready. Because of the distance and their masks, their faces were obscured. It was clear that they had already looted the abandoned ship. *Drip, drip.* Their swords were stained with blood, glinting with a cold, sinister light. Behind the ninjas were five figures in white lab coats.

As Gu Mo and the others watched, the researchers filed into the ship one by one. Seeing these culprits, Gu Mo felt a surge of righteous indignation that temporarily eclipsed his fear. A flurry of questions flooded his mind. Who were these dead people? Were they members of the White Lotus Sect? It didn't look like it. Even if the White Lotus Sect was in decline, they wouldn't be slaughtered so easily by these ninjas. Everything about this was deeply suspicious.

"Damn it! These foreign bastards are too arrogant. Not only are they using explosives, but they've killed so many people. I want to beat the shit out of them!"

Li Hetang was equally enraged, his desire to kill flaring up. The hatred for his country and his people was deeply ingrained in him. Given such a rare opportunity, he wanted to rush in and tear these scoundrels apart. (Every patriot reading this would surely feel the same!) This was the Well of Gods and Demons, after all; even extreme actions wouldn't trigger international disputes. Moreover, these foreigners were clearly invading.

Li Hetang gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with fury. "A blood feud that cannot be forgotten! The debt to our country and our families must be repaid today!"

Seeing their intense emotions, Xiao Yulou used his Taoist arts to help the three men calm their racing hearts and observe the situation. It seemed that a great drama was about to unfold...