If one used spiritual energy to look closely, they could see that beneath the surface of the water, a group of Fishmen was crawling in the pool, staring at them with blood-red eyes.
These Fishmen had fish heads and human bodies, covered in smooth, slick skin.
They had hands and feet layered in blood-red scales, and their claws were extremely sharp. Their heads, however, looked entirely like monstrous fish, with foul faces, sharp fangs, and eyes located on their cheeks.
When describing someone with lifeless eyes, people usually say they have dead fish eyes.
Because after a fish dies, its eyes remain motionless and completely lifeless, giving people a very eerie feeling.
What grew on the faces of these Fishmen were shockingly authentic dead fish eyes.
At this very moment, being stared at by hundreds of pairs of dead fish eyes in unison, even Alex, who was used to great storms and waves, could not help but feel a chill run down his spine.
"Master, there is no need to panic." The Grave-Digging Ghost appeared calm and unhurried, smiling as it spoke.
"This bridge is called the Bridge of Banned Magic. Many tomb chambers will specifically construct one."
"Its purpose is to prevent high-level experts from invading the tomb and disturbing the tomb owner’s peaceful slumber."
"As long as you seal your spiritual energy while crossing the bridge, and do not use any spiritual energy whatsoever, you can pass through it perfectly."
Alex nodded. "Then what are these freaks in the blood pool?"
"These? Just a group of ordinary Fishmen." The Grave-Digging Ghost shrugged, speaking in a very commonplace tone.
"As long as there is a water source, after a long enough period of time, life will inevitably be bred."
"In this tomb chamber, the yin energy is extremely heavy and resentment reaches the heavens. Over the past ten thousand years, who knows how many people have tried to break in to hunt for treasure, only to fail to cross the Bridge of Banned Magic and fall into the pool to become nourishment."
"Nourished by yin energy and resentment, with human blood and flesh as sustenance, ordinary fish mutate into the Fishman race."
"The Fishman race possesses intelligence and mobility no less than the human race, and they retain the ability to breathe and move underwater."
"When we cross the Bridge of Banned Magic, the Fishmen below might lunge up to interfere, but it will merely be intimidation. It is absolutely impossible for them to touch us."
"We just need to pretend we did not see them and walk straight across."
Having said that, the Grave-Digging Ghost acted generously and was the first to step onto the bridge, Alex did not hesitate and followed right behind.
This Bridge of Banned Magic was indeed very miraculous.
The bridge body appeared decayed and broken, but it used a very special material, quite similar to the Forbidden Magic Stones of the Heavenly Flame Royal Family.
If one walked on the bridge without using any cultivation techniques or spiritual energy, then this was just an ordinary broken bridge.
However, if under the intimidation of the Fishmen one used even a tiny sliver of spiritual energy, then the consequences would likely be like having one’s body pierced by forbidden magic Stones, truly too dreadful to contemplate.
Halfway across, the originally calm surface of the water suddenly began to gurgle and boil as if being heated, spewing a continuous string of bubbles.
Alex and Noah turned their heads sideways in unison, but were stopped by the Grave-Digging Ghost’s loud shout.
"Master, do not look!"
"These bubbles are the spells of the Fishman Shamans. They will cause people to hallucinate and willingly jump into the pool on their own."
"Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead at all times, and absolutely do not look around!"
Hearing this, Alex tactfully withdrew his gaze.
As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Even though his own abilities were outstanding, in this ten-thousand-year-old ancient tomb, he might not necessarily be able to run amok.
It was better to be careful in everything and not carelessly court death, listening to a tomb-raiding expert like the Grave-Digging Ghost definitely could not be wrong.
After walking a few more steps, seeing that their witchcraft had failed, the Fishmen changed their tactics.
They began to frequently leap out from under the water, jumping right in front of Alex and the others, revealing mouths full of shark-like sharp teeth in an apparent attempt to threaten and intimidate.
There were even some relatively smarter Fishmen who, after leaping in front of Alex, actually put on faces that clearly said you are incompetent.
They crossed their scaly arms, rolled their dead fish eyes, and shook their heads while sighing. It seemed they were despising him, treating him like absolute trash.
When had Alex ever suffered such suffocating grievance? He was so angry he gritted his teeth, but he still did not vent his thunderous fury.
Even if the Fishmen jumped right in front of his face, provoking him point-blank, his expression remained unchanged, and he stayed entirely unmoved.
Because Alex realized that, just as the Grave-Digging Ghost had said, as long as they stood on this Bridge of Banned Magic and did not use any cultivation techniques, the Fishmen were completely unable to make direct physical contact with them.
They could only resort to every extreme method to provoke and seduce them into attacking.
Looking at it this way, this ghastly bridge was actually their most powerful protective umbrella.
Therefore, Alex forcefully endured the humiliation of a bunch of Fishmen making funny faces at him and walked across the entire bridge expressionlessly.
Upon reaching the opposite bank, Alex let out a long breath, as if relieved of a heavy burden.
Noah, however, could not hold on any longer, with a thud, he slumped to his knees on the ground and could not help but pant heavily.
"My heavens, I... I thought I was going to die!"
"Just now on that bridge, those Fishmen were so close to me, they were almost about to kiss me on the mouth."
"I was this close to being unable to stop myself from attacking."