Chapter 74: The Guardian


    "Jin Gang.[1]" Bringing the torch closer to the wall, Ye Lian Hua read the characters inscribed.


    The two bolded characters apanied the massive motif of a serpent raging havoc onto the battlefield. Its mouth stretched open to showcase itsrge fangs as it looked down disdainfully on the meager illustrations of humans attacking its body with little sess.


    Atop its head, a crown of spikes.


    ''So this is the name of that beast''


    A naga[2], found deep in the southern jungle of Fei Wan and believed to be descended from the great deva, Mucalinda[3], the king of serpents.


    Named Jin Gang, the beast became a beast of ughter for the kingdom of Ming Xiang after it was captured and brought to the capital by General Li Dong to rear the creature.


    King Hei didn''t believe it to be fierce enough, so he bestowed the serpent a crown of spikes to make it look more intimidating.


    "These people must not fear heavenly retribution," she muttered as she stepped back to look at the illustration on a grander scale.


    To think that the vicious beast that attacked them earlier would have such a noble background as well as an even more tragic life.


    "No wonder it would do such a thing; it must hate humans"


    Once a great and free beast only to be reduced to being a weapon for a senseless war, who could endure such a thing?


    Walking down the meandering corridors of the underground caves, Ye Lian Hua looked at the intricate decorations that dawned on the walls.


    After wandering down these halls for some time, she had yet to find an exit or her junior sister.


    ''She couldn''t be far,'' she thought as the Ling Shou Jade glowed dimly.


    When the break in the floor separated them, she found herself in these decorative tunnels, filled with illustrations and writing.


    ''These must be a part of the legendary crypt that those juniors were talking about, if not an adjacent tomb.''


    Ye Lian Hua wasn''t sure if it was the best that her junior was in a separate section or with her.


    On the one hand, she could keep an eye on her and keep her close. However, on the other, no doubt that energetic girl would be bouncing off the walls to explore every nook and cranny of this ce.


    Crazed on the search for "treasure" and setting off potential booby traps in the process.


    "Sigh.


    That girl, how could she be such a ma for trouble?"


    ---


    "Achoo!" Rubbing her nose, Zhu Na Ran wondered who was thinking about her.


    ''Maybe Senior Sister is wondering where I am? (_;?


    Or maybe Master.


    He must be impatient waiting on his food again.


    Tch, that old man. _


    How was this auntie going to fulfill his order of food while trying to survive?!  (#O_O


    Well, most of those incidents could''ve been avoided(;)


    But how often would this auntie go out into the outside world and y?!''


    Not often, given her track record of getting lost, forced into cultivation via her senior sister, and many other things _(:)_


    However, all thoughts of that evaporated as she watched the snake shake its head, finally freed from the weight of the metal te.


    "Sess!" Cheering, Zhu Na Ran was impressed that her half baked n worked! o(o)


    ''This auntie must be a genius!'' <(v)>


    "Hiss" The snake flicks its tongue out in a soft hiss as I bent its head down towards her.


    "Poor thing, you must''ve been in a lot of pain," Zhu Na Ran mumbled as she looked at the deep grooves in the snake''s head.


    The exposed areas leftrge bloody craters from years of friction as the snake''s body tried to grow around the area, to no avail.


    Taking out some healing salve, she applied the cool gel onto the open areas with care.


    Thankfully, the snake didn''t seem to be in pain or at least didn''t show it, as it obediently waited for her to finish applying for the medicine without a fuss.


    "Ta-da, all done," after patting the serpent''s nose once more, it flicked its forked tongue out to meet her hand in thanks.


    "You''re wee.


    But if you don''t mind, can you show me a way out of here?"


    "Hiss" The serpent nodded its head with another hiss and beckoned her into its back.


    "Are you sure?" She didn''t want to strain this snake''s body after what it had just gone through.


    The snake just rolled its eyes as if saying that it was fine.


    "O-oh, okay then!"


    ''What a sassy snake!'' (_`)


    "Excuse me, then."


    Mindful of the snake''s wounds, she climbed on its scaled body. Scooting herself a bit closer to its head, she tried to look over the snake to see what was ahead of them.


    Once secured onto the snake''s back, the giant serpent began to dash off into the meandering halls and into the darkness.


    Fortunately for her, the journey was surprisingly short, as a few turns here and there, a glimmer of light showed at the end of the tunnel!


    "Look! Up ahead!" Riding atop the snake''s body, Zhu Na Ran could see in the distance a light!


    ''Eh? Was I really that close?


    I must''ve passed by it a few times as I swear I''ve walked these walls before.


    Oh, well!


    We must be reaching the exit!


    I wonder if Senior Sister is already out of here.''


    At the thought of seeing her senior sister again, a warm fuzzy feeling started to tickle her chest, and she felt unusually excited to see a certain cold woman.


    Though, it may be because the two have separated so long


    As they approached the light, the snake stopped a few feet away from the exit. Its rays barely reached them. However, it beckoned them closer as slow rays of light stretched towards them.


    "Thanks for the ride, scaly! But I think I can make the rest of the journey from here.


    You focus on recovering, okay?"


    The salve that she put on earlier seemed to be doing its job well. The serpent''s formerly grievous wounds have already scabbed over during their short ride together.


    Patting the snake''s cool body, she slid off its back and waved as the snake flicked its tongue in farewell before disappearing into the darkness.


    "Now, that''s settled, off to find Senior Sister!"


    ''Hopefully, I can find her soon!


    I don''t want to stay in these caves that long even if there was the possible chance of treasure!''


    At least, that was the half-lie that she told herself.


    ''Maybe, if I can find Senior Sister in time, then we can both look for the treasure?


    Hmm, would Senior Sister be up for that?''


    ---


    "Senior Sister!"


    "J-junior Sister?" At the end of the hall, Ye Lian Hua couldn''t believe her eyes as Zhu Na Ran waved at her from the end of the corridor.


    "Hehe!" Dashing up to her, Zhu Na Ran flung herself into her arms. "It''s good to see you again, Senior Sister!"


    "Y-yeah," rxing slightly, Ye Lian Hua patted her junior sister''s back with a rare soft smile as she hugged her. Pulling back, she took a good look at the younger girl.


    ''It doesn''t seem like she''s injured anywhere. She just looks a bit scuffed up at most.


    Thank goodness.''


    "I''m d that you''re safe and well."


    "Heh," Zhu Na Ran grinned at her. "This junior isn''t that easy to get rid of."


    "Tch," shaking her head, she flicked Zhu Na Ran''s forehead. "Silly."


    "Haha, I''m just joking with you, Senior Sister," the younger girlughed as she hooked herself around her arm as the mischievous girl whispered into her ear. "I missed you too, Senior Sister."


    "W-who said that I missed you?" Instantaneously, she covered her ear as if Zhu Na Ran''s breath burned it. Her face glowing a bright red even in the dim light of hermp.


    "Haha, d to see that you''re well; otherwise, you wouldn''t react like that!"


    "Y-you," she suddenly felt that looking at her junior sister''s face wasn''t as pleasing as before, especially with that cheeky grin on the girl''s face. "Hmph," removing herself from her junior sister''s hold, Ye Lian Hua walked off so that Zhu Na Ran couldn''t see more of her obvious embarrassment.


    Trying to calm her beating heart, Ye Lian Hua tried to block out the melodiousughter ringing behind her.


    "Eh? Senior Sister, where are you going?"


    "I''m leaving."


    "Eh? Hey, wait!


    Don''t leave me, Senior Sister!"


    [1] Jin1gang1 - Buddha''s warrior attendant, "Bian4xing4 Jin1Gang1," an attendant who can change shape. This could also refer to "Si4 Da4 Jin1 gang1" -- which roughly trantes into "The Four Deva-Kings" or "The Big Four." They are fierce-looking heavenly guardians whose gigantic statues stand inside Buddhist temples, guarding the entrance on each side. With such a name, I wonder what Jin Gang is protecting in those caves...


    [2] Naga - In Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, the Nga(m.) or Nagi(f.) are divine, semi-divine deities, or a semi-divine race half-human half-serpent beings that reside in theherworld and can asionally take human form. They are principally depicted in three forms: wholly human with snakes on the heads and necks,mon serpents, or half-human half-snake beings. Think Nagini from Harry Potter.


    [3] Mucalinda - the name of a naga who protected the Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment. It''s said that four weeks after Buddha began meditating under the Bodhi Tree, the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain descended. However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the earth and protected with his hood the one who is the source of all protection. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his pce.