Qilin carefully wrapped Wang Cang Hai’s injured leg, then lifted his gaze slightly. “I’ll carry you.”
Wang Cang Hai didn’t answer—he simply smiled.
Qilin thought to himself, Wan Bao’s eyes are beautiful. They don’t match that plain face at all.
And so, “Zhang Qiling” carried “Wan Bao” at the head of the Zhang family’s procession, with Zhang Hai Xing following closely behind, gripping his black-gold blade.
Resting against Qilin’s back, Wang Cang Hai stared at the nape of his neck, lost in thought for a moment before suddenly calling out, “Zhang Hai Xing.”
“Ah? I’m here,” Zhang Hai Xing replied, hurrying forward to walk alongside them.
Wang Cang Hai said, “Go ahead of us and scout the path. Protect your clan leader.”
Zhang Hai Xing let out a small laugh. “Yes, yes, I should be scouting ahead. Thanks for the reminder, Brother Wan Bao.”
Without hesitation, he quickened his pace and moved to the front.
Qilin lowered his voice. “You don’t trust Zhang Hai Xing?”
Wang Cang Hai countered with a question of his own. “While I was unconscious, how exactly did you kill the Ren Mian Niao?”
Qilin answered, “The Ren Mian Niao breathed fire at me, and Zhang Hai Xing ran over and pushed me out of the way. I instinctively grabbed him, and we both tumbled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the flames.
“Strangely, aside from my clothes being burned, neither of us was injured.
“Then, I saw you fall from the Ren Mian Niao’s head, so I rushed to catch you. The Ren Mian Niao, enraged by the Golden Crow Demon-Slaying Formation, flailed its wings wildly and knocked both of us down. At that moment—when our lives were hanging by a thread—Zhang Hai Xing threw his black-gold blade to me. I caught it, struck the Ren Mian Niao, and at the same time, set your unconscious body on the ground.”
Wang Cang Hai murmured, “According to my sources, Zhang Hai Xing’s combat skills are far inferior to Zhang Qiling’s and Zhang Pei Shan’s. Yet, he suddenly displayed exceptional bravery and skill in battle. That’s quite unusual. And also…”
Before he could finish, a swarm of flying rats surged toward them.
Zhang Hai Xing swung his black-gold blade, scattering the creatures. The Zhang family members instinctively moved to surround Qilin and Wang Cang Hai, driving away the rodents.
More and more flying rats poured in waves from the tunnel, but they weren’t targeting the humans.
Their true focus was the massive corpse of the Ren Mian Niao at the end of the passage.
Wang Cang Hai turned his head to look back.
The sight of countless flying rats swarming over the bird’s body, gnawing at its flesh, made his stomach churn with nausea.
Luckily, he hadn’t eaten all day—there was nothing in his stomach to throw up.
“Wan Bao, look at the paintings on the rock wall,” Qilin suddenly said.
They had entered another cavern.
The smooth stone walls were adorned with colorful murals.
Wang Cang Hai recognized the central figure of the paintings—
Prince Ji Mu.
No—after he led the eight great clans away from the Zhou Dynasty, he was known as King Zhou Mu.
The first scene depicted Zhou Mu cradling a young girl in his arms, leading a caravan of men and women on horseback.
The girl was likely Zhang Hai Sheng, the last orphan of the Zhang family.
The group traveled through a snowy mountain forest, where they were stopped by a massive white-furred tiger.
Strangely, the tiger did not attack them.
Instead, it guided them through a hidden tunnel, leading them to a grand and magnificent palace.
“Cloud-Topped Heavenly Palace!” Zhang Hai Xing gasped. “Clan Leader, look! Isn’t this Cloud-Topped Heavenly Palace?”
Qilin remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Wang Cang Hai studied the mural.
The palace, veiled in clouds, was ostentatious beyond belief.
If it was called Cloud-Topped Heavenly Palace, the name certainly seemed fitting.
The next section of the mural showed Zhou Mu seated on a throne, receiving the allegiance of his people. Four characters were inscribed beside him—
“The Founding of Dong Xia.”
So this was the origin of Dong Xia.
Zhou Mu and the descendants of the eight great clans had founded the kingdom together.
After that, however, the murals no longer featured Zhou Mu.
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