Chapter 10, Baobao Town Demon Tower

The three hurriedly looked to the left, and indeed, in the last few paintings on the left, there appeared a tower-like object. Wu Jiayi said excitedly, "I understand now; these paintings actually record local legends"

The third-to-last painting depicts a person holding a pagoda bursting forth from the clouds, striking the monster with the pagoda. The creature appears to be powerless to resist, lying motionless beneath the pagoda. The subsequent painting should illustrate the scene of the pagoda crashing down, with the heavens collapsing and the earth shattering, enveloped in chaos. Apart from simple lines representing the clouds and mist, the entire painting conveys almost nothing else.

I recalled carefully and felt that this thing resembled a monster described in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas." I said to the three of them: "I remember a passage in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" that describes a creature in the southern barbarian lands, which looks like a red-scaled beast, with five tails and one horn, covered in bristle-like hair. It is a man-eater and poses a threat to the region. The Emperor commanded Bo Ling to subdue it with the Eight Treasures Pagoda, capturing it in the southern mountains of the Great Wilderness, and it is also called 'Bu Nang.'"

This should be a series of comic strips, with each panel approximately one meter in height and less than two meters in width. I calculated that there are about ten panels in total on both sides. However, the content of the paintings gives a somewhat confusing impression.

It is still more practical in the big city, as he pondered and said: "This flowing out, could it be the blood of a monster?"

The three of them hurriedly gathered to take a look. For some reason, there were many lines resembling waterfalls drawn around the pagoda, but these lines did not originate from above the pagoda; rather, they came from within. It indeed appeared quite abrupt, as if the pagoda were continuously spraying water outward

What is this thing drawn? "" Dazhong mumbled.

As soon as the words fell, Da Cheng pointed to the other side and exclaimed, "Indeed, look over there; it seems to depict a tower!"

The third brother shook his head and said, "I can't see it, but it feels like what you are saying is quite profound."

It seems that the stories in the Classic of Mountains and Seas are all local legends. However, why did the ancients choose to compile these legends here? " said San Ge.

While the three were conversing, I suddenly discovered something new, right at the foot of the pagoda, where it seemed many figures were painted! I leaned against the stone wall, wanting to see the details of those patterns clearly. A great deal of effort had been put into this section of the painting, with each little figure depicted as meticulously as possible. They were all in a kneeling position, seemingly praying for something. In front of these people, the tower door was wide open, and a person was standing at the entrance, walking out towards the library!

Wu Jiayi said: "This must be the monster mentioned in local legends. Let's walk a bit further."

I said: "In fact, the Classic of Mountains and Seas is also a historical book; it merely records some ancient history in an exaggerated manner. It is possible that the monsters mentioned within are simply representations of certain harmful individuals from a particular region."

The final painting depicts a scene after the dust has settled, where the heavens and the earth are reconfigured, and rivers have changed their courses, forming a long mountain range. To the right of the mountain lies a river, and to the right of the river is another mountain range that follows a similar trajectory. Meanwhile, the pagoda, accompanied by a mythical beast, is hidden deep within the far left mountain.

Da Cheng said excitedly: "Third Brother, Sixth Miss, don't you see this is the place we came to! Look, this is Gaoligong Mountain, this is the Nu River, and this is Biluo Snow Mountain! I can't believe there might really be some monsters hidden in Gaoligong Mountain!"

Wu Jiayi nodded and said, "This is indeed very likely"

Wu Jiayi did not listen to the two talking; she merely stared at the pagoda hidden within the mountain. After observing for a while, she couldn't help but shake her head in confusion and said, "What do you think this means? These lines are drawn so abruptly!"

The first painting depicts a palace from a celestial realm, surrounded by clouds, within which several immortals are making their way. The palace is filled with many people, indicating that a grand banquet is taking place, and in the center of the hall, there are some singing girls dancing. This somewhat resembles the appearance of the Jade Emperor's palace as seen in the Journey to the West.

"You little brat! What era is this? You still believe in monsters! I think you've been playing games so much that your brain has turned to mush! If I catch you playing Snake again, just wait until I chop off your fingers!" Third Brother seemed extremely angry whenever this topic came up. Da Cheng inexplicably received another scolding, but he didn't dare to say anything. He simply tossed his beautiful hair aside, which had been covering his eyes, revealing a stubborn expression.

The second painting seems to have no connection with the first; it depicts a vast mountain range, with a small basin nestled in the middle, deeply sunken. The mountaintops are shrouded in mist, which is much denser than the clouds in the first painting. At the deepest part of that basin, there is a very peculiar creature depicted, somewhat resembling a qilin, but with three more tails than a qilin. It has only one horn on its head, and its body is covered in enormous scales, while below its abdomen, it is adorned with sharp spines, resembling a hedgehog.

Wu Jiayi uttered a soft "hm" to urge Dacheng to move forward quickly. The subsequent few images on this side, along with the earlier ones on the left, almost all depict the same content: a celestial being sent by the Heavenly Palace battling this monster, ultimately suffering a great defeat due to unfavorable circumstances.