Early on the next morning, Zhou Yuanfu was awakened by the sound of bells and drums. When he went out, he saw that everyone had gathered in the empty field in the village.
Pu Hu and Du Yi were leading the people to worship their ancestors and gods, while the other brothers and Gan Ning were watching in boredom.
"You guys really want to go to Ba Dong with Our Lady? I heard that most people can't come back if they go there."
Gan Ning asked everyone excitedly.
"Those are ordinary people. How can we, my brothers, be ordinary people?"
Cui Niubi said proudly.
Gan Ning was not used to Cui Niubi's sophistry for a while, and he was choked to the point of forgetting his words.
"What do you think, little brother, do you want to go in with us? Maybe there are a lot of gold and silver treasures inside. Then you can also find some and buy some suitable clothes and a pair of shoes. Look at what you are wearing at home.
Is this the only brocade left for a poor person?"
Cui Niupi continued talking, as if he was not entering Ba Dong, but going to some landowner and wealthy family to catch the autumn wind.
Gan Ning choked at Cui Niupi and rolled his eyes. He pointed at the brocade on his body and shouted to Cui Niupi:
"Look carefully, this is the best Shu brocade. I grew up by the water since I was a child. Only this Shu brocade is as soft and cool as water, and I feel comfortable when wearing it. Don't underestimate me!"
"Okay, brother Cui, don't take advantage of brother Gan. This trip to Badong is extremely dangerous, and brother Gan is wary. If something goes wrong, it will be bad."
Zhou Yuanfu was afraid that the two of them would quarrel and ruin the solemn atmosphere at the ceremony. Some people were already glaring at them.
Gan Ning seemed to be insulted, "You are really looking down on me, you bastard. How can I, Gan Ning, be greedy for life and afraid of death? If I hadn't wanted to learn those palm thunders from you, I would have fallen out with you long ago."
After saying the harsh words, his face darkened again, "If I weren't afraid that my sister would deal with me, I would have gone with you."
Hearing this, Cui Niubi was about to laugh again, but was stopped by Zhou Yuanfu's eyes.
The sacrificial ceremony over there is also coming to an end.
Several people led Zhou Yuanfu and others towards Badong. It turned out that Badong was behind the village.
Pu Hu and others were already waiting at the entrance of the cave. Lu Quan still had a cold and cold look on his face, completely different from the singing and dancing woman last night.
"Have you ever thought about it, warriors? This Ba Cave has always been a place where only people enter and no one comes out. Are you still willing to go there with the Holy Mother?"
Pu Hu asked forward.
"That's quite scary. Could it be that there really is some pearl treasure hidden in the cave?"
Cui Niupi said nonchalantly, "You said that no one who has ever entered this cave has ever come out again?"
Pu Hu nodded solemnly, "That's true. Only the followers of Master Hengtian have come out so far, but they were also seriously injured and everyone became nervous."
Cui Niupi stepped forward, pushed Pu Hu away, and stepped into the cave in two steps, "Am I considered to have entered the cave now?"
Pu Hu nodded again doubtfully.
Cui Niubi took two more steps and came out, "Am I out now? Am I the first person who can enter this cave and come out safely?"
Everyone has a black eye.
Zhou Yuanfu stepped forward and said: "Brother Cui like me is always making jokes. Don't blame me. We have decided to enter the hole. Please don't test it anymore."
"Okay, we people have always respected the brave. We have also selected ten strong men to follow us. These people all volunteered to go into the cave to protect the Virgin. Come on, let's drink this bowl of wine and get on our way."
Pu Hu ordered people to serve wine.
Zhou Yuanfu was unlucky to hear this. What does it mean to hit the road? He said it as if there was no return.
"Thank you, Mr. Pu, for the wine. After we drink it, we will go into the cave. You prepare the wine and food, and we will continue drinking after you accompany your Holy Mother out."
When Pu Hu saw Zhou Yuanfu's words, he didn't quarrel and drank it all in one gulp.
Zhou Yuanfu was about to enter the cave when he remembered something and turned around, "Don't forget our bet yesterday. I have given you the drawings. You should go and do it quickly. Find a master with good skills to carve the green dragon more vividly."
"Don't worry, General Zhou. Whether you come out or not, we will prepare the weapons as promised. If the time comes..."
Pu Hu said.
"Okay, there's nothing wrong with it, just do it quickly."
After saying this, Zhou Yuanfu entered the cave first. Lu Quan said goodbye to all the monks and followed closely behind.
There are nine twists and turns in the cave, and everyone moves forward silently with the help of the torches carried by the followers. From the outside, the mountain does not look too big, but once inside, it feels deep and long.
"The cave is too deep to enter, and the forest is too high to walk. We have been walking for half a day, haven't we reached the end yet? Is there really something weird in this cave?"
Cui Niubi also put away his cynicism and said with concern.
"Mrs. Lu, how long is this cave?"
Zhou Yuanfu couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know."
Lu Quan just said two words lightly.
Lu Quan was telling the truth. This Ba Cave is the holy cave of the Five Dou Rice Sect. The heavenly masters of all ages have entered and then ascended away. No one has ever described the scene in the cave.
"Brother, will we get lost in there? If we get lost by then, we will starve to death in this cave."
Cui Niubi walked closer and said.
"How could it be? Although this cave is long and deep, after walking for so long, there is not even a fork in the road. When we come out of the cave, we just need to go back along the original path."
At this moment, the man exploring the road ahead shouted, "There is a platform ahead!"
Several people walked over and took a look. It was a spacious space with a large platform in the middle, as smooth as a mirror.
"This is the place of ascension."
Lu Quan walked forward in three steps and then groped carefully around the edge of the platform.
Zhou Yuanfu thought to himself, this is so smooth. It seems that this barbarian is used to making lies, just to scare people.
Everyone gathered around the platform and knocked, and they were all very curious about such a smooth and mirror-like platform. The platform was about ten feet long and was a smooth circle.
"Brother Guan, can you see if this is jade?"
Cui Niubi waved to Guan Yu.
Zhou Yuanfu was not in a hurry to look at the platform, but looked around. This should be considered the center of the mountain. There are only two caves connected to this platform, one is the cave where everyone came, and another cave leads deeper. He looked towards the cave
Walking over, I saw that the floor of this cave was extremely smooth, and the entrance to the cave was much narrower than the previous one, and it smelled fishy.
"Brother, come and see if we brothers can lift this thing away? It's a treasure, I guess it can be sold for a lot of money."
Cui Niubi waved to Zhou Yuanfu again.
Zhou Yuanfu ignored him, walked to Lu Quan and asked, "Is this the place of ascension?"
Lu Quan said with some uncertainty: "It should be." After speaking, he looked up at the top of the cave, "It doesn't seem to be the case."
Zhou Yuanfu thought for a while and continued to ask: "Ascension during the day should fly upwards, right? We are in the middle of the mountain, how can we get out even if we ascend? Is there another mechanism on the top of the cave?"
"Brother Guan, I heard from Brother Xu that your arms are stronger than my elder brother. Come and try and see if you can lift this thing?"
Cui Niupi said, apparently Xu Shu told him about Guan Yu moving millstones at Putong Temple that day.
"There is so much energy being wasted here, so don't waste your time."
Guan Yu didn't want to deal with this money-obsessed Cui Niubi.
"No, as long as we carry it out, whoever sees it will have a share, and I will give you an extra share when the time comes. Come, let's get started together and see if we can lift it. There may be another mystery in this plate."
Cui Niubi's last words made Zhou Yuanfu and Lu Quan both feel moved. Although this place is spacious, there are no other traces except this disk.
Zhou Yuanfu came here to find the collar, and Mrs. Lu came here to find her husband. Cui Niubi's idea might be worth a try.
Lu Quan gave a few faint instructions, and the followers who followed him dispersed along the disk.
Seeing this, Guan Yu and Zhang Liao had no choice but to step forward to help.
Seeing that everyone was cheering for him, Cui Niubi couldn't help but get carried away and jumped onto the high platform, "Everyone, let's work together as I said. If you don't work hard, you won't get any money."
Everyone looked at Cui Niupi, waiting for him to give orders.
Zhou Yuanfu and Mrs. Lu stood aside, looking at Cui Niupi in the field and couldn't help but shake their heads. The platform was already heavy, but if Cui Niupi stood on it again, wouldn't it be even heavier?
Zhou Yuanfu was about to let Cui Niu hide down, and when he turned his head slightly, he suddenly felt that he was being stared at. Based on his feeling, he looked at the dark and damp cave inside.