Chapter 212 - The Scum Is A Nitpicker

"Let's hurry up and find a safe place to temporarily occupy. We have to further check xiao Yun's condition." Tang Zhe said as he pulled the rope over his head and carried the unconscious Tang Yun in his arms.

The youth's face is flushed, adding more color to his healthy and white skin, and he is also uncontrollably trembling. Every time he feels something cold brushes on his skin, he would flinch and jerk his arm or hand where the cold thing touched.

"Yes." they nodded and walked faster, bypassing the seemingly endless rows of stone statues that wore an emotionless face and has vacant eyes staring ahead of them, which is where they have come from.

They didn't dare look at the shadows behind the statues that seemed getting longer, or stare at the statues' faces more than one second.

"Cheng-xiong is really wise." Guo Cheng spoke when he remembered the Xinfaxian Sect and the Youxiwang Sect selling the contestants of Sundry Juice, Sundry Leaves and Sundry Branches before the day of the last stage of the competition. He sighed emotionally.

"Yes!" Shan Lu nodded in agreement. If not for the Sundry Juice, who knows what would have happened to Tang Yun?

Even though they felt a little sensitive when it comes to Sundry Leaves, or anything related to it like the Sundry Juice or Sundry Branch, more especially him since he was the one who drank that bottle of Sundry Juice… but they have gotten over that now.

Tang Zhe sighed in relief. "If xiao Yun was treated a little later…" he bit his lip and looked at the flushed youth in his arms. "Or there wasn't anything to treat his condition, none at all…." He muttered with quivering lips due to fear. He held Tang Yun tighter, almost burying the youth in his arms, wanting to melt him.

They all fell silent as they glanced at Tang Yun who is whimpering in Tang Zhe's arms. However, since Tang Yun is reserved, he has his hands tucked in himself, and he was curled up in Tang Zhe's arms.

Tang Zhe's brows knit at Tang Yun's behaved appearance. Tang Yun is his younger brother. Although he is always unruly, but he is also always behaved towards him. Tang Zhe would like for Tang Yun to act spoiled towards him, like a younger brother always does. Yet, Tang Yun is rather behaved and obedient… nonetheless, that doesn't lessen his protectiveness to the youth. Instead, it aroused his protectiveness more.

Suddenly, Wu Xi, who was walking behind Tang Zhe, tapped Tang Zhe's shoulder. Tang Zhe turned and saw Wu Xi raised his Thought Talisman.

"Does the road seemed a little longer to you?" he asked as he tilted his head in askance.

Shan Lu and Guo Cheng felt that the rope was tugged again and saw Tang Zhe and Wu Xi stood in place as they faced each other. They saw the words glowing in the Thought Talisman, then fell silent. What Wu Xi meant, is that they have been walking for a long time.

Guo Cheng, as the one leading the way, spoke to break the silence. "I counted the rows of the statues earlier when the night pearl rolled." He said. "There should at least be sixty rows of them…" his voice faced as he slightly raised his hand holding the night pearl.

The light coming from the night pearl stretched afar. "We've already passed fifty-six…" Shan Lu said as he looked at the rows of stone statues on both sides of the road that they passed. "There should at least be four rows remaining, including the one we're in." he said and looked at the other side where they are heading to. "…" there are more than thirty rows ahead of them.

"Did a ghost hit a wall?" Tang Zhe asked. He meant that they were going in circles. He held Tang Yun closer to his chest. Fortunately, the youth's face became a healthy pink so he wasn't that much worried anymore.

"This is such a strange place, indeed." Guo Cheng muttered with his brows in a tight knit.

"What should we do?" Wu Xi asked.

Tang Zhe pursed his lips. "I am more worried about that cold hand than being lost here." He said. "However, we're in the light while it is in the dark. As long as we can get out of here, we don't have to worry about that cold hand." he told them.

Guo Cheng. "…" da shixiong, aren't you worried you have a crow's mouth? "How do we get out of here?" he asked.

Shan Lu scratched his head. "Shall we leave marks?" he asked and looked around. "On the wall or on the statue?" he looked at them.

Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng. "…" both are landmines. They don't dare touch anything in this place, so how can they scratch it?

"How about we tie a rope on one of the statues?" Wu Xi asked.

Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng. "…" Wu Xi, be honest. Do you have a rope fetish? Their face was covered with dark lines. However, they don't have any other options. Since Wu Xi's idea is better, they chose his idea instead.

"Do you have another rope?" Tang Zhe asked.

Wu Xi took out his qiankun pouch and opened it before he showed it to them.

Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng. "…"

Shan Lu's eyes shone and he looked at Wu Xi in admiration. "Wu-xiong, you're very prepared!" he said when they saw Wu Xi's qiankun pouch are full of ropes, ropes, and ropes.

Does he really don't have a rope fetish? Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng both thought. Seeing their doubtful expression, Wu Xi raised his Thought Talisman.

"Ropes are very useful. You can use it to climb a tree or a mountain. You can also use it as a trap, or hook a prey." Wu Xi explained.

Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng suddenly felt their conscience hurt. Wu Xi's explanation is indeed reasonable, so they finally stopped nitpicking. They don't even have any ideas to offer. They should be even grateful that Wu Xi has helped them much despite they were opponents. 

(A/N: oh. You're aware you're a nitpicker?)

They untied the rope on their wrist. Guo Cheng and Shan Lu helped him and Tang Yun untie the rope on their wrist. After Wu Xi untied the rope on his wrist, he tied his end to a statue near them. Then, they all grabbed the rope. It was still Guo Cheng leading them by holding the other end of the rope.

Then, they started walking. Every time they reached the end of the rope, they would tie another one to it and then continue.

"Say – " Shan Lu said after they tied the tenth rope. " – what do you think would happen first? Us finding the exit of this labyrinth of the statues, or Wu Xi's ropes all used up?" he asked.

Tang Zhe and Guo Cheng. "…" can't he shut up? They thought with their face covered in black lines.

Meanwhile, Wu Xi who had just finished tying the new rope was staring at the ropes. His exposed eyes on his mask looked thoughtful.

Shan Lu thought Wu Xi was mad because his ropes are running out. "Hey, Wu-xiong. We're sorry that you have to give up your supplies." He said as he rubbed his nose, feeling shy. "Later, if you'll need something and if I have it, I'll give it to you in exchange – " he told him.

He was cut off when Wu Xi raised his hand. "Hm?" Tang Zhe muttered when he saw Wu Xi was staring for a long time on the road behind him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Guo Cheng, who has a sharp mind, spoke. "Did you find something?" he asked as he felt his heartbeat sped up. Whether in excitement or nervousness, he doesn't want to say.

Wu Xi nodded, but he didn't turn to them. Instead, he raised his Thought Talisman to answer them. "Do you have a Sundry Branch?" he asked.

"Yes." Tang Zhe answered.

"Light it up." Wu Xi said.

(A/N: My songs know what you did in the dark~ so light 'em up, up, up, light 'em up, up, up, light 'em up, up, up on the fiiiireeeee~) 

"Huh?" although puzzled, but they still followed Wu Xi's instructions.

Shan Lu took the Sundry Branch from Guo Cheng and scratched its tip on the wall. A spark formed from the friction until its tip finally ignited. He wordlessly and immediately burned the end of the rope Wu Xi placed on the ground.

They watched as the fire from the rope slowly crawled until it ran to catch the other end. The small fire slowly became bigger, and the light from the fire washed away the darkness that was enveloping them. However, right at this moment, they rather choose the darkness than the light. They watched as the rope slowly became engulfed by the fire, and illuminated the statues that are now facing them.

Yes, the statues that were looking ahead to the road behind them were now directly facing them. Not only that. Their hands that were originally on their sides were raised, the position as if about to catch 'something'. Their originally vacant-looking eyes were curved up in crescents, likewise with their lips as they smiled at them.