Chapter 1064

Hu Xiaotian could stay underwater a long time without needing to breathe, but he didn't know how to crack the Pattern Lock; he had thought of a method and wanted to suggest it, yet if he spoke, would Qiqi think he was trying to take advantage of her?

After Qiqi's breathing settled, she took another deep breath; not solving the mystery of the bronze ox, she certainly wouldn't give up, turned and swam back underwater.

After Hu Xiaotian saw Qiqi enter the water, he also took a deep breath and followed behind her to reach beside the bronze ox.

Underwater, Qiqi pondered while arranging the pattern; after a while she could no longer hold her breath and prepared to swim up, but as soon as she moved away, the pattern she had arranged immediately shifted. Hu Xiaotian then came opposite her, pointed to his puffed mouth, and said, "Jiang Taigong fishing — those who wish may take the bait; I'm not trying to take advantage of you, I'm giving you air when you need it."

Qiqi understood his meaning, her pretty face flushed; she was just a young girl whose emotions had just awakened, never having been this close to a member of the opposite sex before. She shook her head firmly and swam toward the surface.

Hu Xiaotian looked at the bronze ox's back; by then the pattern was completely scrambled. He followed Qiqi back to the surface, lay beside her, and said, "As soon as you leave, the pattern shifts immediately—there's no time."

Qiqi had hoped to take several breaths and solve the pattern lock in stages, but as soon as she moved away, the lock began shifting, meaning she would have to start over next time. Unless completed in one go, there was no chance of cracking the pattern lock.

Qiqi bit her lip, still silent, and after resting a bit, dove again.

Hu Xiaotian secretly amused, this girl was indeed stubborn; this time he didn't immediately follow her, but guessed it was about enough. Having just dived to her side, he still had taken a full breath. Qiqi was already near running out of air; seeing Hu Xiaotian approach like a savior, she arranged the pattern lock while waving at him, and Hu Xiaotian came to her side. He deliberately stared blankly at her, as if not understanding her meaning; Qiqi actively brought her pretty face close, her cherry lips pursing, looking like an oxygen-starved little goldfish.

Hu Xiaotian then slowly brought his face closer; when there was still an inch between his lips and Qiqi's, she pushed her face forward, her cherry lips sealing his mouth. It wasn't an active kiss—she needed air. Hu Xiaotian passed a breath to her; after Qiqi received the air from him, she immediately turned her face away. She arranged the pattern lock again. Hu Xiaotian floated up, took a breath, then dove back down.

Thus Qiqi had to repeatedly ask Hu Xiaotian for air; through this primitive intimate contact, it actually extended their underwater stay. Hu Xiaotian gave her air five times in total, and Qiqi finally solved the pattern lock completely.

They felt the bottom tremble. The bronze ox slowly rose, revealing a huge gap between it and the pond floor; pond water flowed into the gap. Qiqi lost her footing and drifted with the current toward the gap. Hu Xiaotian promptly grabbed her, pulling her into his embrace, and tightly gripped the ox's horns to keep from being swept into the gap. In this situation Qiqi had no strength to swim back upstream to the surface. Hu Xiaotian meanwhile gave her air three times along the way; only after that did the water level drop below their necks.

A blush rose on Qiqi's pretty face; by then Hu Xiaotian had kissed her eight times, truly letting him take full advantage.

Hu Xiaotian pretended not to notice, and said softly, "So this bronze ox is actually a sluice gate."

Qiqi said, "Let go of me!" Even now Hu Xiaotian still had her body encircled in his arms.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Hold tight to the horns, careful not to be swept downstream by the current."

Qiqi gripped the horns, and Hu Xiaotian released her. Suddenly she felt a dark shape lunge at her from ahead; focusing her gaze, she saw a giant crocodile, which frightened her into a loud scream. She turned and threw herself into Hu Xiaotian's arms, clinging tightly and crying, "Xiaotian, Xiaotian! Crocodile! Crocodile!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "What crocodile? It's dead!" In fact, that giant crocodile was the very one they had killed earlier; as the bronze ox rose and the water level fell, the current pulled on the iron chain, dragging the dead crocodile from the bank downwards.

Only then did Qiqi turn and look; indeed she saw that the giant crocodile was the dead one. Only now did she notice the foul stench, and in panic she released Hu Xiaotian's body and covered her mouth and nose.

Hu Xiaotian asked Qiqi for the dagger that could cut iron like mud, then swung hard at the iron chain—clang! —snapping it. The crocodile lost its restraint and, with the swirling water, flowed into the drainage gap.

By then the water in the pond had completely drained. Qiqi lifted the Night Pearl to inspect the bronze ox for any secrets, then lay prone on the edge of its base and peered down—nothing but darkness, unable to tell where the passage led.

Hu Xiaotian said, "This should be connected to the outside Jade Pool; the water drains straight out."

Qiqi said, "Doesn't that mean we can swim out directly from below?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, broke off a section of iron chain, and tossed it down the drainage gap. After a long while they heard a continual clinking. Qiqi stuck out her tongue and whispered, "It's so deep!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Of course; below should just be a drainage channel, with no secrets." He lifted his gaze; from the bronze ox's current position to the edge of the pond above was over twenty zhang high. When the pond previously held water, buoyancy let one easily swim to the shore, but now the water has drained, and the pond's four walls are sheer smooth stone slabs; without superb lightness skill there's no way to climb up.

Qiqi also realized the problem, drew a sharp breath and asked, "How do we get up?" She and Hu Xiaotian were standing on the bronze ox's base; from the edge of the base to the stone wall there was still a gap of two zhang.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Look carefully; there seem to be characters on the surrounding stone walls!"

Qiqi blinked; her eyesight naturally couldn't match Hu Xiaotian's, let alone in the dimly lit mountain cavern.

Hu Xiaotian read the characters on the wall one by one for her to hear; Qiqi listened, pondering. After a while she returned to the bronze ox and began arranging the pattern lock on its back again. Soon she heard the ox's body emit squeaks and creaks, its tail lifting and a crack splitting open between its buttocks.

Seeing this, Hu Xiaotian secretly delighted; that's impressive—this Zhuge Yun Chun is also a remarkable person, actually thinking of hiding things inside the bronze ox's belly.

Qiqi shone the Night Pearl on the ox's rear; if Hu Xiaotian had a camera on hand he would surely have snapped a picture of this scene.

Qiqi reached her arm into the ox's belly, felt around for a while, then turned to Hu Xiaotian and said, "I can't reach it!"

Hu Xiaotian moved closer, and by the light of the Night Pearl indeed saw that inside the ox's belly there was a box‑like object; it seemed eight or nine out of ten that this was the secret Qiqi sought. Yet to retrieve the box one would need arms at least three zhang long; Hu Xiaotian examined the opening on the ox's rear and found it could just accommodate a head slipping inside.

Qiqi sighed, "If only I had known, I would have brought a long hook."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Let me try!" This fellow thrust his head into the opening; seeing his appearance, Qiqi couldn't help but giggle.

Hu Xiaotian naturally knew his look was unsightly, and spoke in a muffled voice: "What are you laughing at? What's funny? If you won't, you come try yourself!"

Qiqi said, "Your shoulders are too broad to possibly squeeze in!" Actually she laughed at Hu Xiaotian because she saw him thrusting his head into the ox's rear.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Don't you know there is Bone Shrinking Skill in this world?" Hu Xiaotian had learned Tendon Changing Bone Shifting from Monk Bu Wu; now it came in handy. He inhaled, drawing his internal energy back to the Dantian Qi Sea; hearing his bones crack, he actually slipped into the opening that could only fit a head.

Seeing this, Qiqi gasped, eyes wide, and hastily covered her mouth with her hand, fearing any sound might disturb Hu Xiaotian; it was truly astonishing that his burly, sturdy body could shrink like that. At the same time she felt a pang of fear—what if Hu Xiaotian got stuck inside and couldn't get out? How could she rescue him? She even regretted letting him go in, and only then realized Hu Xiaotian mattered far more than the Divine General's Formation Diagram.

Fortunately Hu Xiaotian wasn't trapped inside; shortly he emerged from the bronze ox. Indeed its belly was quite spacious, only the entrance was narrow, and he dragged out a small box one chi long and half a chi wide.

Qiqi's first concern wasn't the box but whether Hu Xiaotian was alright; she asked anxiously, "Are you okay?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, secretly thinking, "This girl still has some conscience."

Qiqi used the dagger to pry open the oilcloth outside the box; the box's exterior also bore a Pattern Lock, which posed no difficulty for her, and soon she had the lock undone. Hu Xiaotian had her step back a bit, then carefully used the dagger to open the box, confirming there were no mechanisms inside before boldly opening it fully.

Inside was wrapped in oil paper; when unfolded there was only a book and a drawing. Qiqi picked up the book, saw that it indeed bore the title Divine General's Formation Diagram, and exclaimed delightedly, "Found it—the Divine General's Formation Diagram is really here!"

Hu Xiaotian, however, stared blankly at the other map; Qiqi leaned over and let out a soft 'eh', looking quite astonished.

Hu Xiaotian said, "This map looks like it depicts the Da Yong region."

Qiqi said, "During the reign of Emperor Mingzong, Da Yong was also part of Dakang's territory."

Hu Xiaotian saw the markings on the map and whispered, "Looks like a treasure map."

Qiqi's eyes shone with excitement: "I've always heard that Emperor Taizong, to secure Dakang's realm forever, specially left three treasuries within Dakang's territory; successive emperors passed the word down, and Emperor Mingzong, when restoring Dakang, once used one of them, while another was discovered and excavated by Emperor Yingzong, who took it for himself—this must be the third one!"

First Update, September 2, we must ask for monthly tickets; brothers and sisters, if you have a guaranteed vote, cast it for Zhangyu! (To be continued~^~)