Chapter 117: The Dark River (Part IV)

The spiritual crystal fell into Dao Sansheng’s chest, suddenly erupting with an astonishing brilliance. The fish that had been devouring him moments before were instantly reduced to powder. The remaining school of fish, already sparse, scattered in a panic, and the dark river, previously stained crimson with blood, began to clear.

As the radiance of the spiritual crystal slowly dimmed, Dao Sansheng’s chest cavity became clearly visible; a heart began to grow, beating with a steady rhythm. The flesh and blood across the rest of his body also gradually regenerated.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Du Xuetao, who had been injured, had yet to recover, and the stone giant remained sprawled in the same spot, motionless.

Dao Sansheng’s skin was now flawless. It was fairer and more lustrous than the slightly tanned complexion he had possessed when he first left Dao Family Village, devoid of even a single scar, much like that of a newborn infant. His nose was more refined, his height had noticeably shifted, and the once-sleeping Dao Sansheng was now breathing steadily.

A stick of incense later, Dao Sansheng opened his eyes. He still remembered being struck by the stone giant and falling into the dark river. He recalled the horrific scene of the fish devouring his flesh, the pain so intense it had jolted him from unconsciousness multiple times, until everything finally faded into darkness. He remembered walking through a narrow passage, hearing someone calling his name.

*Where is this? Have I transmigrated again?*

Dao Sansheng raised his hands, examining his delicate, fair fingers before touching his face. He found it hard to believe. However, seeing his surroundings—the same dark river—he realized he was alive and still in the same place.

"Master, you’re finally awake! Hurry and check if that big brute is dead. If it recovers, neither of us will make it out alive." Du Xuetao, agitated, slapped the stone beside him, gesturing toward the giant.

Hearing their conversation, the stone giant let out a shrill, piercing cry, but it made no further move, remaining prone.

Dao Sansheng approached cautiously. The stone giant looked like an ordinary boulder, save for the addition of an eye and a mouth. There was a deep crater where the other eye should have been—a scar from the fierce battle with Du Xuetao. As Dao Sansheng drew nearer, he could hear the giant’s heartbeat.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.*

Dao Sansheng took out his gourd, intending to store the dying giant inside, when a voice echoed in his mind. It was a youthful, childish voice, reminiscent of a five-year-old, trembling with sobs.

"Wuwuwu... I know I was wrong. I’ll give you the spiritual crystal, I don’t want it anymore, okay? Can you please not kill me? It took me hundreds of thousands of years to cultivate into this form. I only gained consciousness and the ability to cultivate because I accidentally awakened this heart."

Hearing this, Dao Sansheng hesitated. He lowered the gourd, looking at the massive rock at his feet, unsure of how to proceed.

"Master, kill it! If it recovers, we’re both finished! This thing has immense strength; my axe couldn't even dent it. Don’t let my efforts go to waste!" Du Xuetao tried to stand, but collapsed again. Despite the twitching at the corner of his mouth, he stubbornly shouted at Dao Sansheng, fearing he might show mercy.

Upon hearing Du Xuetao, the giant suddenly manifested a circular pattern in the air above it. The pattern depicted a colossal stone man raising a boulder, surrounded by complex, glowing gray runes. It cast a gray light over Dao Sansheng.

"Master, look out!" Du Xuetao shouted, his hand gripping his sleeve so tightly he tore the fabric away.

Dao Sansheng looked up to see the gray light descending. He dodged to a nearby rock, but the pattern seemed to lock onto him, following him persistently. He continued to leap away, frantic.

*Damn it! I shouldn't have listened to Du Xuetao; I’ve been outmaneuvered by this rock. It seems I can't escape, so I might as well fight back!*

Dao Sansheng stopped in his tracks. He held out the gourd and attempted to absorb the gray pattern. The suction caused the pattern to waver, but it could not be stopped. It plunged directly into Dao Sansheng’s body and vanished into his sea of consciousness.

Dao Sansheng hurriedly sat cross-legged and delved into his mind. The sea of consciousness remained unchanged; he searched for a long time but could not find the pattern. Then, the youthful voice spoke again.

"Master, I have submitted to you as my master. Can you spare me now?"

The voice echoed in his mind, leaving Dao Sansheng completely bewildered. *Submitting to me? Since when? And why cause such a commotion instead of just saying so?*

Dao Sansheng withdrew from his consciousness and looked at the giant, which was now shedding tears. His anger dissipated. The creature seemed decent enough. He noticed the eye injury and wondered if he could heal it.

He raised the gourd toward the surrounding cavern. The colorful rocks of the cave faded to gray as their essence was drawn into the gourd. After half an hour, he felt he had gathered enough and aimed the gourd at the stone giant.

As he did, the youthful voice in his mind cried out in alarm, babbling something that sounded like a stream of insults, leaving Dao Sansheng both amused and exasperated.

"Alright, I’m going to heal your eye. Don’t resist, it will be over soon."

The gourd emitted a multicolored light—the essence he had just absorbed—and poured it into the giant. The stone body slowly regenerated, its sagging form firming up. The injured eye healed, and both eyes opened wide, staring at Dao Sansheng.

Once the essence was exhausted, Dao Sansheng put the gourd away. The stone giant stood up and knelt down, the impact echoing through the cavern.

Dao Sansheng paid the giant no more mind and turned toward Du Xuetao. He needed to check on his companion, whose injuries were clearly severe.

"Master, you finally came over. I’m so hurt I can’t even walk. You owe me compensation—at least a million top-tier spirit stones, or I’m not leaving this cave!"

Hearing this, Dao Sansheng felt relieved. He used his spiritual sense to examine him and found that, aside from a few blocked meridians that prevented him from circulating his energy, the rest of his body was perfectly fine.