The Second Volume Chapter 4 (Part 2) Fishing in Troubled Waters

  I didn't say a word, my mind racing with thoughts. Is the final test really that easy to pass? In fact, no matter how I guess, there's always a 50% chance of getting it right by luck. It concerns three rare treasures, would Sanzang Lao easily let me pass? Unless...

  "The young master's words are really interesting." I suddenly remembered the scene when I first saw the big fish, her voice and smile clearly floating in my mind. I took a deep breath, scanned the two fish on either side, and calmly said: "The one on the left - is Little Fish!"

  The mermaid-like person on the right side smiled ambiguously: "You mean I'm the big fish?"

  I shook my head and said slowly: "You're not a big fish either! You're just an illusion created by the small fish! There's no big fish here at all!"

  Two people were shocked at the same time, I burst out laughing, knowing that I had guessed correctly! At this moment, the sandalwood in my hand was only slightly red. I didn't have time to say much, and quickly rushed to the front of the stone, pointing with one finger, the incense head shot towards the oil lamp. With a "sizzle" sound, the oil lamp lit up, and the cave was filled with bright light!

  "I did it! I won!" I exclaimed wildly, the entire cave spinning around me, the oil lamp's radiance blinding like a dazzling sun, surging ceaselessly, the surrounding scenery melting away like wax in a furnace.

  "Yes, you won." Suddenly, I heard Mitsurou's voice in my ear. I lifted my head and saw his expressionless face.

  I rubbed my eyes, my goodness, Gan Ningzhen, Ji Danyi, Hai Ji are actually by my side! The dawn wind blows, the sky turns white, we are standing in front of the palace, the crimson gate slowly closes before our eyes.

  I don't know when we left the mural. I looked around in surprise, as if it was just a big dream, it's really amazing!

  "You little scamp, you're so impressive! We've seen everything you've been through, and I was worried sick that you wouldn't be able to handle it!" Haeji exclaimed excitedly.

  "Thinking of you walking through the giant axe with ease, I really want to kiss you."

  I looked at Gan Ning with a proud smile: "How's that? Not bad for an old man, huh?"

  Gan Ning nodded silently with an "en".

  Sanlang stared at me, silent for a moment, and asked: "The last test, how did you know that those two fish were transformed from small fish? With your demonic power, it's impossible to distinguish between true and false."

  Hai Ji was also very surprised: "That's right, even we think it's unbelievable. Little rascal, you don't have Gan Ning's true lotus eyes, how can you see that the big fish is not inside?"

  The big fish and small fish held lanterns, floating behind Wang Sanlang. Looking at the curious eyes, I proudly looked around, tidied up my clothes, put on a pose, and said: "The last puzzle is not called guessing, but rather 'muddying the waters to catch fish'. Hehe. Big fish, small fish, I'll know with just one touch."

  Ji Danmei let out a "heh" and smiled: "Stop teasing and spit it out already. You little scoundrel, you're always taking advantage of others whenever you get the chance."

  "Hai Ji grumbled discontentedly: 'The sandalwood is about to burn out, we're all anxious to death, and you're still there, dazed and confused, groping around.'"

  I smiled wryly: "To be honest, it's not something that can be figured out by touching, I used my brain to think of it. The last hurdle in the stone cave must not be easy to pass, with Zhān Sān Láng's cunning, how could he give me a 50% chance of guessing correctly? Unless both of us are not big fish, I would have guessed completely wrong."

  "Thanks for the compliment. You're right, no matter which one you guess is the big fish, you'll be wrong. So you shouldn't have had any chance at all."

  "I said with a smile: 'Haven't you noticed that two fish only have one shadow? So the appearance of the small fish made me suspicious.'"

  "Good job being so meticulous," said Sanzang with a hum. "Indeed, illusions don't have shadows. The little fish appearing later was also an intentional attempt to confuse you."

  "So, the two people in front of me are either the big fish transformed or the small fish. It's impossible for both to exist at the same time because there is only one shadow! I suddenly thought that maybe when we were about to pass the last test, the person who appeared in front of me wasn't the real big fish but the small fish in disguise. Of course, the key point isn't this." I paused and gave a slight smile to the big fish: "Do you know what it is?"

  The big fish shook its head: "I don't know, please ask the young master to point out the flaw in the small fish's change."

  I cleared my throat and looked around: "Did everyone hear that clearly? The big fish addressed me politely, using the word 'young master'. From our first meeting on the small island, she has always called me young master. But in the stone cave, she suddenly used the word 'you' instead. A person's appearance can be changed with magic, but a person's speech habits are hard to change. So I concluded that neither of the two mermaids in front of us is the big fish!

  Everyone suddenly understood, and the little fish smiled with a hint of mischief: "If I had known earlier, I should have been more polite to you."

  "Look at you, so carefree and yet so meticulous. You have both bravery and strategy. In such a critical moment when the fire is burning your eyebrows, you can still remain calm and think clearly. It's truly impressive."

  I thought for a moment and asked: "Sanzang Lang, what's with those resurrected stone statues in the mountain cave?"

  "They were all the youkai who had been trapped in the mural for many years, and I turned them into stone statues." Sanzou explained: "If new youkai enter the cave, they will come back to life. They are just like you, wanting to escape from the mural. In fact, the oil lamp in the cave is the exit of the mural. Once it's lit, the exit will open automatically and you'll be free."

  I suddenly realized why we left the mural immediately after lighting the oil lamp.

  Shan Sanlang smiled and continued, "So, I've already told you how to leave the mural, it's up to you whether you can do it or not. As I said, lighting the oil lamp doesn't rely on demonic powers, but rather on one's heart. Little brother, I didn't expect your heart to be so firm and unyielding, after all these years, you're the first person to break out of my mural. In the eyes of Shan Meng Lou, having strong demonic powers is nothing special, but having a heart with spiritual energy that can bend and not break is truly rare. Little brother, if you encounter good opportunities in the future, you will definitely become an extraordinary figure!"

  I was stunned for a moment, it's the first time I've ever heard someone praise me like that. I proudly shouted: "You're convinced you lost? Playing with me, you don't stand a chance!"

  "Ha ha, whether we succeed or fail, it will all be empty in the end. I believe we'll meet again, and who knows who will die at whose hands then? Little brother, let me give you some advice: keeping those three strange treasures won't do you any good, and the map of the Heavenly Earth is a disaster waiting to happen. Do you understand? A precious sword may be great, but if it's wielded by a child, they'll only end up cutting their own fingers. Good words are hard to hear, whether you listen or not is up to you."

  After saying that, he turned to the big fish and small fish and said: "Since someone has lit the oil lamp, according to the agreement of the past, you don't have to follow me anymore." Turning around, he took a deep breath, the palace swayed like water, transformed into a wisp of smoke, and flew into his mouth.