Chapter 253 - 253 Hidden Crisis, Crimson Mycelium

253 Hidden Crisis, Crimson Mycelium

Hearing Huo Qiyun’s words, Lin Ran thought that Huo Qiyun was joking again.

However, when Lin Ran saw Huo Qiyun shaking his arm crazily, unable to detach his hand from Xiao Huai’s, he realized that something was wrong.

“Don’t be anxious. Let me check!”

As Lin Ran spoke, he placed Xiao Huai on the ground and summoned a few fire sword energies. He leaned close to look at their hands carefully.

!!

At first, Lin Ran didn’t notice anything unusual. It wasn’t until he pried Huo Qiyun’s fingers open a little that he saw that the place where their hands were touching was covered in countless scarlet and mycelium-like things!

The red mycelium seemed to be extremely elastic. As soon as Lin Ran let go, Huo Qiyun’s fingers were immediately pulled back.

However, even if it was only for a moment, it was enough for the two of them to see it clearly.

“What is this.”

Huo Qiyun asked softly with a pale face. A layer of sweat broke out on his forehead. It was unknown if it was from pain or fear.

Lin Ran shook his head to indicate that he didn’t know. However, from what he glimpsed just now, he vaguely felt that the mycelium was somewhat similar to the “root” growing out of Huo Qiyun.

After a moment of silence, Lin Ran asked, “When did you realize that you couldn’t loosen your grip?”

“Just now.”

Huo Qiyun said in a low voice, “But this situation should have been going on for a long time. Every time I wake up these past few days, I can feel my hand holding Xiao Huai. I thought that holding her hand could make her feel secure, so I didn’t pull back.”

Lin Ran took a deep breath and looked at their hands with a strange expression. “I have an idea. Although I can’t guarantee that it will work, if it works, I might be able to bring you out with me as well.”

Huo Qiyun’s eyes lit up. “Tell me!”

“Although the sizes are different, I feel that what’s growing on your hand is the same thing as these.”

As Lin Ran spoke, he lifted Huo Qiyun’s clothes and showed him the tree root-like things growing on his body. “The size of these on you is too scary. I don’t know what will happen if I cut them off, so I want to try cutting the small ones on your hand first to see what’ll happen.”

Huo Qiyun didn’t say anything. A few veins bulged on his thin face, as if he was gritting his teeth.

Just now, when Lin Ran pried open his fingers a little, he felt a tearing pain in his muscles. Although he didn’t know what the red mycelium was, it seemed to have become a part of his body.

Now that Lin Ran suggested cutting off the mycelium, Huo Qiyun immediately felt fear for no reason. However, this fear only lasted for less than a second. He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, “Go ahead.”

Lin Ran nodded and raised his hand to summon the sharpest Dragon Roar Sword. He pried open Huo Qiyun’s fingers slightly before cutting the outermost mycelium.

With a soft whoosh, the thin mycelium snapped.

Almost at the same time, Huo Qiyun’s entire body shook violently and he almost broke free from Lin Ran’s grip!

Lin Ran was shocked. He quickly looked at Huo Qiyun and asked with concern, “What happened? Why are you reacting so strongly?”

“I’m fine.”

Huo Qiyun gritted his teeth as cold sweat rolled down his pale face. “Continue!”

“What’s the point of continuing!”

Lin Ran could tell at a glance that something was wrong. He had just cut off a few mycelium, and Huo Qiyun looked like he was about to die.

There were nearly a hundred mycelium strands growing on one fingertip on Huo Qiyun’s hand. If Lin Ran cut them all off, Huo Qiyun would probably die eight hundred times!

Thinking of this, Lin Ran put away the Ten Miles Dragon Roar and waved his hand. “I’ll think of another way!”

As soon as he finished speaking, another rumbling sound came from the ground. This time, the sound was clearly much louder than last time. Even the stone platform shook slightly.

The two of them subconsciously looked at each other and saw the vigilance in each other’s eyes. Although they did not know what was deep underground, it was obvious that it had already begun to become irritable.

“It’s fine! I can hold on!”

Huo Qiyun gritted his teeth and insisted, “It was because I wasn’t prepared just now. Now that I’m ready, do it!”

Lin Ran’s face darkened and he didn’t say anything.

“We are running out of time!”

Seeing that Lin Ran still didn’t raise his sword, Huo Qiyun made up his mind and drew his sword, ready to do it himself.

The sword slashed down, but it stopped half an inch away from Huo Qiyun’s wrist. Huo Qiyun looked up and saw Lin Ran reach out and grab the sword with two fingers.

“I’ll do it.”

Lin Ran looked into Huo Qiyun’s eyes and said in a low voice. Then, he took the sword from Huo Qiyun and knocked him out.

“This way, you shouldn’t feel any pain…”

Lin Ran muttered to himself and pried open Huo Qiyun’s fingers. He looked at the sword in his hand that was flickering with cold light. After hesitating for a moment, he made up his mind and cut it.

…

Somewhere in Mount Sword.

Shen Rulin and his father walked silently in the pitch-black cave. Suddenly, a slight vibration came from the ground.

The two of them stopped in their tracks. After the vibration was gone, Shen Qingquan said, “We have to speed up. The noise this time is clearly much louder than last time.”

“That’s right.”

Shen Rulin nodded, his face filled with helplessness. “But even if we want to speed up, we still don’t know where Sword Grave is.”

Shen Qingquan said in a low voice, “Let’s continue forward first.”

Shen Rulin nodded in agreement. Then, he handed the Thunderball Sword to his father and grabbed the hilt of his original sword. As soon as the snow-white lightning flickered, the two of them turned into a phantom and disappeared.

…

In Sword Grave, on the stone platform in the pool.

Lin Ran had already cut open the mycelium on two fingers. There was clearly no blood flowing out, but the air was filled with the nauseating smell of blood.

At the same time, the inexplicable vibration appeared again. Although it was not as “majestic” as last time, the interval was getting shorter and shorter!

...

The continuous vibration was like a death warrant. Even Lin Ran couldn’t help but feel anxious, but at this moment, he reached the most difficult part—the place where Huo Qiyun and Xiao Huai’s fingers were crossed, so he had to do it very carefully.

Although it wasn’t a big deal to scratch their fingers to save their lives, the mycelium was strange. If possible, Lin Ran still hoped that their blood wouldn’t touch the mycelium.

However, even though Lin Ran was already very careful, a sudden violent vibration still made his hand tremble slightly.

The sharp tip of the sword cut through Xiao Huai’s finger. Almost at the same time, all the sounds instantly disappeared. It was so quiet that time seemed to have frozen.

Lin Ran’s pupils constricted, and he suddenly had an ominous feeling.