Chapter 9, The Underwater Cave

This time, the python finally moved. It exerted all its strength to raise its head, while also struggling to open its mouth wide, twisting its body to leap forward. However, it suddenly fell to the ground, and after writhing a few times, its body stiffened and it no longer moved.

After Shen Caihua and Dudu walked along the corridor for more than 10 meters, they discovered numerous branching paths ahead, varying in height, width, and irregularity, with a faint smell of moss in the air

This black egg may be the most poisonous item in 'The Heartbreaking Poison Mother', and Father Han Sheng will surely be pleased to see it. Shen Caihua felt quite proud and carefully tucked it into his jacket pocket

Shen Caihua stared at it intently, not daring to make a sound. After a long while, he stepped forward and gently touched the large python with the tip of his foot, but there was no reaction whatsoever

"Oh my, there is a... snake!" Dudu suddenly screamed, leaping into Shen Caihua's arms.

Shen Caihua lifted it up; it weighed dozens of pounds. Neither he nor Dudu could carry it away. After thinking for a moment, he said: "I forgot to bring a knife; we need to find something to cut it."

The root of the old vine is a purple, tumor-like mass the size of a basketball, with gnarled bumps on its surface and cracked old bark, appearing to be at least a thousand years old

The python did not move

So big... how can I take it? Dudu was troubled.

"Who are you?" Dudu asked tentatively, mustering his courage to step forward.

Shen Caihua grasped the sharp fangs of the snake and gradually sawed through the thick vine. Before long, he had severed the old vine and removed the large root tumor. He struggled to lift the root tumor, but it was still too heavy.

It seems there is... there is an exit! "Dudu exclaimed excitedly.

This is a very spacious cave at https://m.hetushucomcom, with a narrow crack in the rock wall allowing a small amount of sunlight to filter in, making the interior scenery clearly visible. A thick vine hangs down from the top of the cave, curving down to the porous, water-absorbing stone floor. On the moss-covered stone ground, there is a deep depression, about the size of a foot basin, filled with clear water. The thick vine grows out of this water, and a faint mist spreads across the ground, resembling a cloud-covered mountain.

He is blind, Shen Caihua thought, this large python might be specifically guarding the "Heartbreak Poison Mother". Generally, wherever rare spiritual plants and poisonous herbs are found, something happened to be guarding them.

In the darkness, stumbling and bumping along for an unknown duration, Shen Caihua felt an unbearable hunger and thirst in his stomach. "Dudu, I feel like we've been going downward all this time; it seems to be getting increasingly humid and warm. Could it be that we've reached the bottom of Poyang Lake?" he asked doubtfully

"Elder of Rest," the voice said

Shen Caihua helplessly lifted the gnarled root and forcefully threw it onto the stony ground. With a "pop," the old gnarled root burst open, revealing a dark, egg-shaped object inside, about the size of a duck egg, with a glossy black surface.

"Who is speaking?" Shen Caihua asked nervously as he turned around

Shen Caihua bent down to pick up the black oval object, which felt heavy in his hand. He did not know what it was, and Han Sheng's father had never mentioned it either

Here, Shen Caihua pointed to a narrow stone crevice that slanted downward beside him and said, "It seems we can turn to below the 'Heartbreaking Poison Mother'"

Shen Caihua and Dudu were taken aback; the voice did not come from the ugly old man on the stone bed, but rather from behind them, emanating from the library.

"Not counted." Dudu replied without courtesy

"Moreover, the girls growing along the 30th parallel north are the most beautiful in the world," she said shyly.

The giant python that had been guarding the "Heartbreaking Poisonous Mother" for an unknown number of years has died of old age

Shen Caihua thought to himself that this was the only way, and thus he instructed Dudu, saying: "This matter regarding the black egg should not be mentioned to anyone."

Taking another small step forward, the python remained motionless

There is... there is now. "Dudu turned his head and said mysteriously

The two of them groped their way back, occasionally bumping their heads. After a long time, they still had not returned to the cave from which they had descended the cliff.

Shen Caihua dragged the corpse of the large python aside, then extended his hands to grasp the old vine, shaking it vigorously. He felt it was somewhat loose, and it appeared that the stone hollow was merely filled with water. The "Heartbreak Poison Mother" grew from the water and had not taken root in the soil

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This, I will give to you... Dudu used his curved beak to pick up the large fang of the old python and handed it to Xiaocaihua, saying, "Please keep it safe for me."

"We should be able to pull it out," Shen Caihua said, as he pushed off the ground with his legs, grasped the dark brown thick vine, and exerted all his strength, ultimately managing to pull the 'Heartbreaking Poisonous Mother' out of the stone crevice little by little

Shen Caihua looked at Dudu with confusion, unsure of what idea it had come up with

I will take a look to see if there are any other snakes left. Dudu bravely jumped in front of Xiaocaihua, looked around, and turned back to say, "No, there are none left."

Shen Caihua steeled himself and took a big step forward, now standing at the edge of the stone hollow

The stone passage was dim and hazy, but it was not pitch black. Some extremely faint light filtered through the holes and cracks eroded in the limestone, and as the eyes gradually adjusted, one could vaguely discern the objects within the cave.

The fissure slanted downward, and Shen Caihua slowly advanced while supporting himself against the stone wall. His touch was soft and damp, as it was covered with some moss on the water-absorbent stone. As he descended further, he felt the space gradually becoming more spacious, and the light also brightened significantly.

"Dudu, do not be afraid," Shen Caihua comforted, gently pushing Dudu behind him.

What should I do? Neither I nor Dudu can possibly defeat this giant python. Although it is blind, it is incredibly powerful when it comes to constricting people; both Dudu and I could be strangled to death. However, after enduring so much hardship to find the "Heartbreak Poison Mother," how could I give up halfway? Moreover, if I were to hand this highly toxic elixir to Han Sheng's father, he would surely forgive me and Dudu for this escape, and perhaps even praise us a little. With this thought in mind, Shen Caihua tentatively took a small step forward. Moreover, if I were to hand this highly toxic elixir to Han Sheng's father, he would surely forgive me and Dudu for this escape, and perhaps even praise us a little. With this thought in mind, Shen Caihua tentatively took a small step forward.

"Is Mo Mo considered as such?" Shen Caihua asked

"It must be a treasure... a precious one," Dudu said excitedly

At this moment, the light coming through the crack in the stone cave is growing weaker, and the surroundings are becoming increasingly dim. In an instant, it has turned pitch black; the weather has changed.

Shen Caihua chuckled, tucking the large tooth into his pocket, and said, "Alright, we should head back..." Suddenly, he had a realization and hurriedly exclaimed, "Oh no, the vines on the cliff have come loose. How are we going to get back up?"

"Old man, who are you? Why are you alone down here?" Shen Caihua asked cautiously.

Dudu approached the head of the large python, raised his hard, iron-like curved beak, and extended it into the python's mouth, biting down on the last remaining large tooth on the jawbone. With force, he twisted it off. The roots of the old python's teeth had long since loosened, unable to withstand the powerful beak of the large parrot, and thus it was easily broken off.

A faint light appeared in the distance, and Shen Caihua's spirits were lifted. He quickly said, "Dudu, look over there!"

"Break it into several pieces, and... and take a piece back for Han, for Han's father. Isn't that good enough?" Dudu suggested hesitantly.

Dudu replied, "No, it doesn't matter, I will fly back to find that old... old monk to save you"

***

"Well... it seems rather pitiful," Dudu said softly

This is a spacious stone hall, featuring a stone table, stone benches, and a stone bed. A red candle is lit on the stone table, and in the dim light of the candle, one can see an elderly man sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, naked, with long white hair cascading over his shoulders, his hair unkempt and dirty

Hiss, hiss, hiss... The strange man's thin lips emitted a quivering sound of airflow

"How could it have died all of a sudden?" Shen Caihua, puzzled, touched the snake and discovered that its face was covered with age spots. He then speculated, "This large python must have died of old age; it could be over a hundred years old."

Shen Caihua and Dudu exchanged glances, wondering what kind of strange person this was

"How could there be anyone here?" Shen Caihua said in astonishment

Haha... I was just about to ask the two of you? A hearty laugh echoed in the stone hall, but it seemed noticeably lacking in strength.

The river... the world of rivers and lakes is fraught with danger, I know, I understand." Dudu replied

Is it true? This was the first time Shen Caihua had heard these terms, and he felt quite intrigued, which piqued his curiosity. "Dudu, what other strange things are there?"

They gently shifted their steps and slowly approached forward

"How do we get there?" Dudu turned around and asked

This is it... here. The little one hopped forward, then suddenly stopped and shouted loudly

They are lost

It, is it dead? Dudu boldly stepped forward and kicked the corpse of the giant python with its paw

When the two of them arrived there, panting and out of breath, they discovered that it was just the lights...

"What is this egg?" Dudu's sharp eyes spotted this thing early in the morning

Shen Caihua was taken aback and quickly focused his gaze. Indeed, there lay a large dark green python, as thick as an arm, resting on the moss. It was several meters long, with its head slightly raised and its reddish-brown tongue lazily probing outside. Its entire body was trembling slightly, and its two white eyes stared vacantly into the air.

I, I do not know, a weary voice came from the darkness, "Poyang Lake is located at 30 degrees north latitude, along this line are the Bermuda Triangle, the Egyptian pyramids, and the Mayan civilization, as well as the highest mountain on Earth, the Himalayas, and the deepest trench, the Mariana Trench. In any case, it is very, very strange."

By the faint candlelight, I could see that the old man before me was extraordinarily ugly, with layers of wrinkles and sagging skin on his face. His deep-set eye sockets housed a pair of bright, piercing eyeballs, and his sunken cheeks were surrounded by a neck resembling chicken skin, adorned with a ring of gnarled, protruding purple-red lumps. Strangely, this ugly old man had a body with smooth, delicate skin and well-developed, robust muscles, akin to that of a young man.

Looking around, there wasn't even a hard stone on the ground; what could be used for cutting