Chapter 72 - Sacred Mountain in Myanmar (Part XXVI)

Chen Shaoxian carefully repositioned the flaps of torn skin. At that moment, black liquid began to trickle from Xiao Zhuang’s mouth. Chen Shaoxian gently tilted Xiao Zhuang’s head back, took out a water bottle, and gave him a small sip.

Xiao Zhuang’s throat moved with a faint gurgle. Chen Shaoxian then laid him flat and rummaged through his bag to find a small porcelain bottle, pouring out a dark red pill. As soon as the pill was exposed, everyone present detected a refreshing fragrance. Chen Shaoxian crushed the pill and fed it into Xiao Zhuang’s mouth. Soon, the blue tinge on Xiao Zhuang’s face faded, replaced by a hint of color.

Noticing the change in Xiao Zhuang, Chen Shaoxian turned to the people gathered around and said, “Xiao Zhuang is going to be fine.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Song Yumu asked, “What is this?”

“Anything with spiritual essence can produce rare treasures, like bezoar, musk, and dog treasures. However, these are rare finds. There are exceptions, though, and the water monkey is one of them. The substance in a water monkey’s brain is called the spiritual embryo, which was used in ancient times for alchemy and as an imperial tribute. Back then, water monkeys thrived in rivers and lakes, where they were often referred to as water ghosts. In Japan, they are called Kappa. However, due to extensive hunting over a long period, they nearly went extinct by the end of the Han dynasty, although there may still be some in underground rivers or mountain pools.”

“Fortunately, we encountered one today. Xiao Zhuang wasn’t suffering from excessive blood loss but rather from poisoning, which ironically saved his life. The claws and teeth of water monkeys secrete a toxin that can paralyze the nerves, with the additional function of clotting blood. Being cold-blooded creatures that feed on warm blood and organs, they need this toxin to prevent their prey from bleeding out.”

“Moreover, water monkeys are extremely aggressive, often preying on their kind when hungry. When injured, they rely on the toxin to stop bleeding and numb the pain, with secretions from the spiritual embryo in their brains helping to seal wounds. In ancient times, many renowned physicians, such as Bian Que and Hua Tuo¹, used these toxins and the spiritual embryo from water monkeys to cure diseases and save lives. The heavy demand from common folk was another factor contributing to their early extinction.”

The others were secretly amazed, not expecting that such magical creatures existed in the world.

Knowing Xiao Zhuang was fine, everyone was very relieved. Nie Wei, with a flushed face, stepped up to Chen Shaoxian: “Chen-Ge, I was impulsive earlier, I was wrong.” He then bowed to apologize and sincerely said, “Chen-Ge, when we get out, you can give me a beating.”

Chen Shaoxian laughed, rubbed his chin, and patted Nie Wei on the shoulder: “Alright, but you better not cry then,” he responded with a mischievous grin aimed at Nie Wei.

Everyone broke into laughter, making Nie Wei’s face turn even redder, but he soon joined in with hearty laughs.

The group quickly redistributed themselves onto the bamboo rafts to avoid any potential setbacks, paddling swiftly.

The speed of floating downstream was quite fast. As the bamboo rafts moved forward, the river became narrower, with the cave walls on both sides reflecting the flashlight beams.

Chen Shaoxian suddenly felt something was off and turned to Song Yumu: “Song-Ge, why do I feel like our speed has increased?”

Song Yumu crouched, dipped his hand into the water, and observed the current slipping through his fingers. He nodded, “Yes, we are going much faster. Maybe there’s a downhill ahead or…”

Before he could finish, a whooshing sound of water drawing could be heard from the front, and the bamboo raft began to tilt.

Chen Shaoxian exclaimed, “It’s a whirlpool, paddle to the side quickly!” He started paddling vigorously.

However, the current grew stronger, spinning the bamboo raft, while the drawing sound became louder. In a rush, Chen Shaoxian jumped into the water with a splash, kicking hard and pushing the raft towards the side.

Fortunately, the cave walls were narrow, and Chen Shaoxian’s raft was closest to the edge, so with a few strokes, he managed to reach the riverside. To his delight, he discovered a small path running alongside the riverbank.

Chen Shaoxian quickly climbed ashore, untied a rope, secured it to a rock on the shore, tied the other end around his waist, tightened it securely, and then jumped back into the water to help the others.

Meanwhile, Song Yumu and Nie Wei carried Xiao Zhuang to the shore. They also untied the ropes from their waists and secured them to a rock, tying the ends around their waists as they swam behind Chen Shaoxian.

Chen Shaoxian first swam to the nearest bamboo raft, urging the people on it to grab the rope tied around his waist and pull themselves toward the riverbank.

However, as Chen Shaoxian tried to swim towards the last bamboo raft, the current became too swift. The raft spun in circles, racing toward the center of the whirlpool.

The people on the raft tightly gripped the vines binding the bamboo raft but didn’t cry for help. Instead, they watched their comrades who had reached the shore with a resolute expression.

Realizing the dire situation, Chen Shaoxian swam directly towards the center of the whirlpool, surprisingly moving even faster than the bamboo raft. The rope made a snapping sound as it reached its limit, causing a jolt that almost knocked the wind out of Chen Shaoxian.

With the powerful water current and the taut rope, breathing became difficult, and Chen Shaoxian’s face turned beet red from the strain.

The people on the bamboo raft shouted, “Go back, go back, don’t risk yourself too!”

But Chen Shaoxian seemed not to hear them, his focus locked on the spinning raft, while those on the shore held tightly onto the rope tethered to him.

Suddenly, Chen Shaoxian dove underwater with a swift jerk, stretching the climbing rope until it creaked loudly.

When Chen Shaoxian resurfaced, he had a firm grip on the side of the bamboo raft, shouting, “Grab the rope!”

The people on the raft quickly seized the tightly stretched climbing rope as the raft was drawn into the swirling whirlpool by the current.

At that moment, Song Yumu and Nie Wei swam over, looping ropes around Chen Shaoxian and the people who had just entered the water, and then yelled, “Pull!”

Everyone on the shore pulled hard on the climbing rope, their fingers turning blue and purple from the effort. They shouted in unison, hauling the people in the water back to safety.

Soon, they dragged the water-soaked individuals to the riverbank. Once ashore, everyone collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily and glancing at their comrades. Suddenly, someone started laughing, the laughter rippling through the group, mingled with fits of coughing from those who ran out of breath.

Footnote:

1. Bian Que and Hua Tuo(扁鹊和华佗): Bian Que and Hua Tuo were famous ancient Chinese physicians. Bian Que is legendary for his diagnostic skills and medical expertise, while Hua Tuo is renowned for his surgical innovations and the use of anesthesia.