binnovel Chapter 169 The True Face of the Mysterious Shadow
Chapter 169 The True Face of the Mysterious Shadow
"Transmigrating to Embrace the Beautiful Snake"
Chapter 169: The True Face of the Mysterious Shadow
Everyone stared at the huge dark figure on the other side of the bridge, their hearts pounding like restless rabbits. Liu Yu swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Who are you? Come out! Stop playing tricks!" His voice echoed through the empty, silent valley, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, receiving no response.
The dark figure remained motionless, as if watching their every move from the shadows. Xu Xian, already timid, was now even more terrified, his face drained of color, his legs trembling uncontrollably. He clung tightly to Bai Suzhen like a frightened quail, his voice trembling so badly he could barely speak: "Wife, this...this isn't some kind of terrifying man-eating monster, is it? I...I'm so scared." His heart pounded rapidly, each beat like a heavy hammer striking a drum. His hands gripped Bai Suzhen's clothes tightly, his eyes shut, not daring to glance in the direction of the dark figure.
Xiaoqing, always bold and outspoken, now stood with her eyebrows raised, hands on her hips, and took a few steps forward without hesitation, declaring with unbridled confidence, "Hmph, whatever it is, I'll go see! I refuse to believe this evil can do anything to me!" Her determined steps and fearless expression suggested that she would bravely face even mountains of knives and seas of fire. The wind billowed her skirt, making her appear even more heroic and spirited, like a resilient rose blooming in a storm.
Just as Xiaoqing was about to reach the shadowy figure, it suddenly stirred. It moved slowly, its form gradually becoming clearer. It was a gigantic tortoise, its shell as vast as a mountain, its shell resembling a rolling hill, its surface covered in intricate patterns like mysterious runes, seemingly recording the vicissitudes of time and ancient secrets. Its eyes, like enormous bronze bells, gleamed with a cold and mysterious light in the darkness.
The tortoise slowly opened its mouth, its voice deep and hoarse, as if from ancient times, saying with an irresistible majesty: "To cross the bridge, first answer my question correctly."
The crowd looked at each other, their faces full of doubt and confusion, wondering what the turtle was up to.
The tortoise cleared its throat, its voice echoing through the valley, and asked loudly, "What is something that has a face but no mouth, feet but no hands, and though it has four legs, can't walk on its own?"
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell into deep thought. Xu Xian frowned, his eyes narrowed into slits, his mind a jumbled mess, muttering to himself, "This is really stumping me. None of the classical texts I've read have ever mentioned this." He paced anxiously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, glancing around at the others every now and then, his eyes filled with helplessness and anxiety, hoping to receive even the slightest hint from someone.
Liu Yu, on the other hand, was so anxious that his face turned red, like a ripe tomato. He scratched his head frantically while muttering to himself, "What could this be? I feel like my brain is going to break, but I still have no clue." He hugged his head tightly with both hands and shook it vigorously, as if that would shake the answer out of the depths of his mind.
Just then, the jinx crept over, a mysterious expression on his face. He lowered his voice and said smugly, "I know, I know, it must be the table!" After saying that, he proudly raised his chin, his small eyes gleaming with cunning, thinking that he was so smart that he would definitely get it right.
The tortoise slowly shook its head, a hint of disdain in its eyes, and said coldly, "No. Think about it again."
Xiaoqing was so anxious that she stomped her feet, kicking pebbles all over the place, and shouted, "Oh dear, what is it? It's driving me crazy! This damn turtle won't even explain itself clearly." She put her hands on her hips, her face full of impatience, wishing she could rush up and teach the turtle a lesson right away.
Bai Suzhen remained calm throughout. She smiled slightly, a smile as gentle and moving as a flower blooming in spring, and said softly, "It's a box." Her eyes were clear and intelligent, as if these problems were nothing more than children's games to her.
The tortoise nodded in satisfaction, a hint of approval flashing in its eyes, then asked, "Red fruit hanging on a stick, coated with sugar, tastes delicious. (Guess the food)"
Now everyone seemed to be frozen in place, falling into deep thought once again.
Pigsy's fat face was full of distress. He kept rubbing his round belly and muttering complaints, "I just want to find something to eat to fill my stomach, I have no mind to solve these riddles. This is even worse than being hungry." His small eyes were fixed on the tortoise, hoping that the torment of solving the riddles would end soon so he could go find food.
The celestial dog jumped around nearby, barking incessantly, its tail wagging like a cheerful propeller, seemingly racking its brains to help find the answer.
After a while, Liu Yu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he excitedly waved his arms and shouted, "I know, I know, it's candied hawthorn!" His face was beaming with excitement, as if he had won the lottery.
The tortoise nodded again, its eyes showing even greater approval, and then posed another riddle: "A black child, never speaks, but if it does, its tongue falls out. (Guess a food)"
Everyone racked their brains, thinking until their heads were about to explode, but still couldn't come up with an answer. Some scratched their heads, some frowned deeply, and some simply sat down on the ground, sighing and looking miserable. The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.
Just when everyone was frowning and almost giving up, the Jade Rabbit from Heaven came hopping and skipping over. The Jade Rabbit's fur was as white as snow, shimmering softly in the moonlight, and its two long ears twitched from time to time, making it look playful and cute.
The jade rabbit blinked its bright, lively eyes, and its clear, melodious voice rang out like a silver bell: "I know, it's melon seeds!"
The tortoise laughed heartily, its laughter echoing through the valley: "You're right, you can cross the bridge now."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt a great weight lifted from their shoulders, their faces beaming with joy, as if they had seen the light of dawn in the darkness.
Everyone was excitedly preparing to cross the bridge when, to their surprise, the tortoise slowly spoke up again: "Wait, only one person can cross this bridge at a time." Its voice was serious and solemn, leaving no room for negotiation.
This sudden restriction made everyone's hearts, which had just been at ease, jump again, and everyone started to worry again.
Xu Xian looked troubled, hesitated for a long time, and said timidly, "What should we do? Who should go first? What if..." His eyes were full of worry and unease, his heart was pounding like a drum, and he kept rubbing his hands together, making the wrinkles on his forehead even deeper.
Liu Yu, who was usually decisive, was now somewhat undecided. He scratched his head and said, "How about we decide by drawing lots? That would be the fairest way." As he spoke, he frantically searched the ground for something he could use to make the lots, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.
Xiaoqing crossed her arms, shook her head firmly, and retorted loudly, "No, that's too casual! Who knows if something will go wrong with the lottery? We need to think of a safer way." Her eyes were firm, her tone strong, and there was no room for argument.
Everyone was talking at once, arguing endlessly, and no one could convince anyone else.
Who will cross the bridge first? What unexpected things will happen while crossing? All of this remains unknown, leaving the next chapter full of suspense and anticipation.