The box wasn't locked, yet it wouldn't open.
The Old Taoist took out a white bottle from his sleeve, unscrewed the cap, and poured some water onto the box.
The surface of the box began to emit a crisp crunching sound typical of drying wood. Soon, cracks appeared on the surface of the black box, and the Old Taoist struck it with the Peach Wood Sword. Suddenly, the black box shed a layer of clay, like peeled roasted peanuts.
Inside was a purple wooden box, locked.
With a wave of the Peach Wood Sword, there was a "snap" sound and the lock was cleaved in two.
As soon as the lock broke, a pitch-black object sprang out from the wooden box, pouncing on the Old Taoist's chest.
The Young Taoist, who had been closely watching the Old Taoist's every move, saw this and inhaled deeply, like a bellows, with a momentum that seemed to devour the earth and sky. His chest inflated like a balloon, and then his face, throat, mouth, and nasal cavity began to emit a red glow.
