Out of fear of death, Invest Everything into Health-Chapter 289 - 149: My Heart Is Clear, Wubing Is Free of Illness and Pain

Below the dry well lies another "Grotto Heaven."

A long and winding tunnel unfolds before the eyes, so dark that its depth is immeasurable.

Unlike the clean, perfect, and orderly city outside, everything here can only be described as filthy, foul, and decaying. Just standing outside the tunnel gives an eerie feeling, as if urging you to leave.

It's even more terrifying than walking through Queyu Mountain.

Yet this sensation brings a certain thrill to Fan Wubing and the Mountain God, because this is exactly what it feels like to view Sickness City from the outside!

The tune of "Rain Dragon and Heavenly River Roar" swirls in Fan Wubing's mind, and he immediately enters a profound state of focus. The Mountain God stays close, basking in this blessing.

The feel underfoot is peculiar.

The texture is pliant and springy, exuding an indistinct warmth, and a slight tremor can be felt.

The Mountain God nervously says, "It feels like stepping on rotten flesh."

Fan Wubing says, "No need to doubt, this entire tunnel is made of decaying flesh."

"Ah?!" The Mountain God, terrified, goes weak in the knees.

Fan Wubing glances at him, "Are you really the Mountain God, so timid?"

The Mountain God musters his courage, forcing a chuckle, "The shadow of the last three hundred years looms too large. It's an instinctive reaction... If not for this instinct, I might not have survived to see Lord Envoy arrive here."

After passing through the tunnel, the two enter a vast, irregularly spherical space.

The walls are pulsating with crimson flesh. Various folds are neatly arranged on the flesh wall. Each fold contains a tiny channel, through which sounds can be heard constantly emerging.

Fan Wubing listens closely and instantly realizes it is the sound of the city's people offering prayers.

After the prayers, a fleshy tumor grows from the meat wall underground, squirming into the folds' channels, then transported to the praying family. Soon, another tumor flows in from the channel. However, this tumor is full of filth, seriously decayed, emitting a foul stench.

The foul, filthy tumor rolls down from the channel and is immediately devoured by the meat wall underfoot.

And so it goes...

The Mountain God, eyes vacant, mutters, "Are those tumors what they normally eat, wear, and use?"

"It seems so, and the filthy tumors coming back must be carrying away their 'sickness'." Fan Wubing cannot help but feel a tumult in his heart.

"Is this how Lord Rou sustains Sickness City?"

Suddenly, the meat wall beneath their feet opens into a hole, swallowing them whole.

The Mountain God instantly feels enveloped by warm flesh, the soft, fleshy wall giving off a meaty aroma, hugging every inch of him, "Lord Envoy, Lord Envoy!"

Beside him comes Fan Wubing's voice, "Don't panic, this flesh has no hostility for now."

After a writhing motion, the two fall into another space.

The Mountain God reaches out to touch the ground, feeling solid earth instead of a flesh wall, which gives him a slight relief. His round eyes widen, and looking ahead, he is once again terrified out of his wits. A massive fleshy tumor hangs in front, like a small house, almost as if multiple hands are pushing out from within, trying to escape.

"Ah!" The Mountain God, frightened, sits on the ground, retreating backward.

Seeing the disdainful look from Lord Envoy, he begrudgingly stands up.

Fan Wubing squints and says, "This thing is the disease source."

"The disease source of Sickness City?"

"Perhaps more than that." Fan Wubing doesn't dare to conclude too much, "It should be the remnant of the backlash from the Imperial Dynasty's fortune three hundred years ago. Gradually, it has materialized."

A dry, hoarse voice emits from the fleshy tumor, "Who are you?" Eyes squeeze out from the tumor, staring at them.

The sight is truly creepy, making the Mountain God involuntarily shrink his neck.

Fan Wubing says, "We passed by and inadvertently entered here."

"Then I shall send you out." With that, two fleshy tendrils drop down from above, poised to wrap them up and send them away.

Fan Wubing thinks, no harm intended?

He immediately shakes his head, "Wait."

"What else is there?"

"Are you Lord Rou?"

"Exactly."

"If that's so." Fan Wubing's eyes darken, "You're maintaining everything in the above Sickness City?"

"Exactly. But it's not called Sickness City; it's 'Rou City.'"

"Why make Rou City like that? Everyone is carved from the same mold."

Lord Rou's voice, ever dry and hoarse, doesn't change tone, "This is the way to treat their sickness."

"The way to treat sickness?"

Lord Rou says, "They are born diseased; if untreated, they would die in agony."

Fan Wubing steps forward, sternly questioning, "Knowing they are diseased, why allow them to breed and reproduce? To pass the sickness on to the next generation, perpetually trapped in such suffering?"

Lord Rou says, "Sickness must find a host. If they don't have it, others from Great Li will. Inside Rou City, I can at least suppress their illness, granting them a carefree life. Who would aid the diseased if they were outside Rou City? This illness must be passed down."

"Ha! No wonder every family has three sons and three daughters. It's all by your design!"

Fan Wubing suddenly connects the dots.

If what Lord Rou says is true, and everyone's sickness must have successors, otherwise others in Great Li would contract it, that's why Sickness City is arranged with an equal number of males and females. Each family must bear two children, unendingly passing down the sickness. The city's population never changes, living identical lives, with any deviation forcibly corrected by Lord Rou.