Inside a heavily guarded small building within the main pavilion of the Ten-Thousand Treasure Pavilion, a powerful cultivator sat in the center, his blood and qi surging like a rushing stream. He was there to protect the precious treasures that would be auctioned in a few days. These treasures included top-grade magical weapons, pills that could extend life by five years, various rare heavenly materials and earth treasures, some valuable external cultivation manuals, and a pitch-black hand bone placed inside a jade box.
This powerful cultivator appeared to be in his early forties, but his entire demeanor exuded an aura of aging. He wore a headscarf, his eyes tightly shut, his spiritual sense covering the surrounding area.
At the four corners of the building and in every hidden spot, other experts were concealed, forming a dual layer of defense—visible and invisible—alongside glowing forbidden techniques.
Suddenly, a cold gust of wind blew through, carrying the biting chill of the dead of winter. The powerful cultivator wearing the headscarf felt a stirring in his heart and opened his eyes.
Instinctively, he looked out the window and saw the bright full moon hanging high in the sky, its silver glow cold and clear like autumn water, dreamlike and hazy.
At that very moment, the moon instantly turned blood-red, sinister and grotesque!
As soon as the crimson moon appeared, thick mist spread, quickly enveloping the entire building, like a small fishing boat tossed about in a violent storm.
Wu!
A piercing scream rang out, sending chills down the spine. Even this supreme expert felt his body turn icy cold, as if plunged into an ice cellar, with an eerie itching sensation deep beneath his skin.
Before he could react, more piercing cries echoed in his ears. The guards hidden in the shadows and corners staggered out, their bodies covered in a thin layer of red fur, their eyes hollow and lifeless, like ancient corpses.
Crack!
A sound of something shattering echoed. The supreme expert wearing the headscarf watched in horror as a right hand covered in inch-long red fur pierced through the forbidden techniques and reached into the building.
The crimson moon ascends; the ancient corpses awaken; a red-furred ancient corpse—could it be the Thousand-Year Corpse King, Qian Nian Shi Wang?
This supreme expert was old and experienced. In an instant, he realized that the creature attacking them was far beyond his ability to confront. If he tried to fight, he would die here tonight. He had to flee—his only option was to escape.
As this thought formed, he turned and flew toward the back of the building, attempting to flee in the opposite direction.
Puh!
A sudden sound froze him midair. He lowered his head and saw a hand protruding from his chest—a hand that was unrotted, with smooth red skin, well-muscled, and covered in inch-long red fur.
Its speed was this fast? The supreme expert saw the ancient corpse’s hand gripping his still-beating heart. He felt his life force rapidly draining as blood gushed out, his soul invaded by a frigid yin-cold energy. His mind grew hazy, his vision darkening.
Drip, drip. Blood splattered onto the floor. The nine-foot-tall red-furred corpse king lifted the supreme expert to its face, opened its mouth, and with four fangs, bit down, tore, swallowed, and feasted greedily.
This corpse king wore tattered clothes, its entire body covered in red fur, surrounded by a faint black mist. Though it emitted a foul stench of decay, its body showed no signs of rot or decay.
As it devoured its prey with savage hunger, in the sky outside the building, a cloud drifted over. Standing atop it was a delicate scholar dressed in male attire, with dark eyebrows and bright eyes, radiating beauty and brilliance—none other than Jiang Zhiwei.
In her left hand, she held the White Rainbow Piercing the Sun sword. Her gaze was calm and emotionless, her sword heart reaching the heavens, as she silently observed the scene within the building.
The corpse king’s eyes glowed an eerie green, its mouth and lips smeared with blood. Within just a few breaths, it had devoured a supreme expert. Behind it stood a gaunt man wearing a white pointed hat, resembling a zombie more than the corpse king itself. In his hands were a corpse-controlling rod and a soul-summoning bell. His eyes scanned the building, searching for the item his sect leader had ordered him to retrieve.
There! He spotted the pitch-black hand bone inside the jade box, sensing its faint glow resonating with his own dharma body from afar.
A thought flashed through his mind—this is a treasure of the sect!
Before the thought could fully form, he had already summoned the jade box.
Suddenly, a brilliant sword beam pierced through the top of the building, directly targeting this disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect, seemingly also intent on claiming the black hand bone.
The sword’s immense pressure, spiritual force, and killing intent merged seamlessly. Before the sword beam even arrived, the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect felt as if he had plunged into an abyss of countless swords, his body and soul being sliced apart inch by inch, unbearable pain and indescribable terror rendering him motionless. He could only watch helplessly as the sword beam shot toward his forehead, his mind replaying his entire life in slow motion, as leisurely as an afternoon nap.
Amidst this nightmare, his vision was suddenly filled with a fist—a red-furred fist—flying straight at the sword beam.
Dang!
The sword beam shattered. A figure emerged, flying backward a few steps. It was Jiang Zhiwei, a blend of beauty and heroism. Her right hand trembled slightly, her sword vibrating and emitting a continuous ringing sound. Yet, the corpse king’s fist remained unscathed, with only a faint white mark. It was harder than even the finest magical weapon!
Heh, a corpse king’s body, refined after death, was no weaker than the physical body of a martial artist of the same level who had cultivated body-hardening techniques. Regaining his senses, the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect once again reached for the black hand bone while mentally commanding the corpse king to tear apart the enemy before him. She had nearly killed him—no matter how peerless a beauty she was, she could not be forgiven.
The corpse king advanced, its speed seemingly capable of breaking free from the sun’s constraint. In an instant, it reappeared before Jiang Zhiwei and threw a simple, unadorned punch.
Jiang Zhiwei was neither startled nor fearful. She slashed diagonally with her sword. The sword beam split into two, then into four, then into eight, transforming into hundreds or even thousands of sword beams of equal strength. Every four, seven, or nine beams joined together to form sword arrays, layer upon layer, like a surging river, radiant light surging forward, instantly enveloping the corpse king’s punch.
Dang! A continuous series of metallic clangs rang out, almost simultaneously, merging into one sound. The sword beams shattered again, leaving deep sword marks several zhang long in the surroundings. The building was sliced apart by the residual energy, and so was the jade box, leaving only the black hand bone drifting in the wind, failing to fall into the hands of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect disciple.
Jiang Zhiwei was pushed back again, her right hand visibly trembling, still struggling to recover from the residual force. The corpse king approached once more, throwing another punch.
Dang, dang, dang, dang! Jiang Zhiwei unleashed “Sever the Future,” “Supreme Emotionless,” “Three Questions of the Sword Dao,” and most of the Nine Killing Moves from the Supreme Sword Sutra. Yet, none could overcome the red-furred corpse king. Every transformation, every sword beam, was shattered under a single punch. She was sent flying backward several steps. Eventually, the tiger’s mouth on her right hand split open, and she could no longer grip her sword.
If not for the corpse king’s newly awakened low intelligence, relying solely on instinct for its movements, possessing only the power of its former self without the corresponding realm or techniques to fully utilize its strength, and if not for Jiang Zhiwei’s diligent practice with her left hand, allowing her to switch hands in time, she might have already been slain by the sword.
“Good! Kill her! Kill her!” The disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
The residual energy from their clash sent the black hand bone tumbling about. He had to protect himself first, so he still hadn’t managed to seize it.
At that moment, he heard a soft puh sound, and a sword beam had already pierced the back of the red-furred corpse king’s right fist!
Although the sword beam withdrew immediately after contact, the wound it left was still grotesque, revealing red blood and black sinews beneath!
How was this possible? She had actually pierced the corpse king’s body? The disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect was shocked. He quickly realized that in their previous exchanges, each of her sword strikes, though seemingly repelled, had actually struck the same spot repeatedly, layering the damage until finally breaking through!
Even while at an extreme disadvantage, she had never lost her composure, creating opportunities to turn the tide of battle.
Jiang Zhiwei changed her footwork, using the opportunity to circle around the corpse king and reach for the black hand bone.
Time erodes all things, and even water can wear through stone. Those previous strikes were not among the Nine Killing Moves, but rather a demonstration of her own sword techniques!
After his initial shock, the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect regained his senses. Now was not the time for emotional indulgence. In the short term, the corpse king might not be able to kill her, and it even seemed to have been wounded by her. There were too many variables. The most important thing now was to seize the black hand bone and return to the sect to report!
He did not attempt to seize the black hand bone. Instead, he took a step back, shook the bell in his hand, and let out a sharp cry.
The red-furred corpse king immediately let out a guttural sound, suddenly retreating and, through a clever maneuver, collided with Jiang Zhiwei’s sword beam, sending her flying sideways and shattering her sword light into pieces.
However, it did not pursue. Instead, it lunged toward the black hand bone, grabbed it in its palm, and then leapt out of the collapsing building, seizing the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect and vanishing into the ground.
By now, many experts from the city had already arrived upon hearing the commotion. If they delayed any further, the grand formation would activate, and things would no longer be so simple.
Jiang Zhiwei’s hands trembled uncontrollably, blood flowing from her tiger mouths, but a pleased expression spread across her face as she savored the previous battle.
Gazing toward the ground, she did not pursue. Instead, she retreated into the darkness and disappeared from the Ten-Thousand Treasure Pavilion.
On a tall building near the Ten-Thousand Treasure Pavilion, a refined and elegant scholar in wide robes stood quietly by the railing, a smile on his lips, leisurely watching the previous events unfold. He wore a wooden hairpin, his handsome face resembling a deity—none other than the “Demon Sage” Han Guang!
“Fascinating, fascinating,” he murmured softly before his figure suddenly vanished, as if he had never been there.
※※※※
Near Longtai in Jiangdong, several mountains stood in serene beauty. Legend had it that in the late ancient era, the Human Emperor had moved them here to suppress a flood.
In a valley within these mountains, a red-furred zombie emerged from the ground, accompanied by a gaunt disciple and the black hand bone.
“Almost failed,” the disciple muttered, taking the black hand bone and examining it, feeling a sense of preciousness at having nearly lost it.
If it had been obtained easily, he might not have valued it so highly. But after Jiang Zhiwei’s interference, he now felt the object had come at great difficulty, making it all the more precious. Naturally, he paid little attention to other matters.
Clutching the black hand bone and accompanied by the red-furred corpse king, the disciple began pacing through the valley with strange steps, and an eerie phenomenon occurred.
The valley had originally been lush with vegetation, but as the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect walked, the plants suddenly withered rapidly, as if a curtain had been drawn back, revealing what lay beneath.
The grass and trees withered and regrew, regrew and withered, seven times in total, before ancient tombs and wild graves finally appeared before their eyes. Around them, no mountains or vegetation remained—only bones.
Blood-yellow waves rippled around the ancient tombs, as if they belonged to another world. The disciple burned a talisman, reporting that he had successfully retrieved the object.
A powerful and icy consciousness swept outward, scanning the surroundings. The disciple knew this was to prevent any pursuit and avoid being tracked by high-level experts.
After repeatedly confirming everything was safe, the blood-yellow waves slowly split open a narrow gap.
Just as the disciple of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect was about to enter, the black hand bone in his palm suddenly moved, transforming into a streak of orange-yellow flame that slashed toward the gap.
Boom!
The blade was heavy, and flames rapidly spread, burning through the blood-yellow mist, slowing its closure.
Meng Qi revealed himself, holding a sword-shaped token in his hand.
He had transformed himself into the Yellow Springs hand bone, using the legendary aura of the real hand bone to deceive heaven and earth. At last, he had found the hidden location of the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect!
Now! Meng Qi forcefully activated the token.
Inside the Sword Washing Pavilion, Qingyi You Shen (Su Wuming) opened his eyes. His sword leapt from his lap, emitting brilliant sword light, his figure rising high, transcending the mundane definition of “height.”
He hovered in midair and slashed his sword directly onto the blood-sea mist, shattering the forbidden techniques that had yet to fully close, reducing them to pieces.
Legends leave traces everywhere—how could mere tracking checks detect them?
In a city thousands of miles away, Lu Daxiansheng looked up and saw Su Wuming, smiled faintly, raised his sword, and pierced through space toward the location Su Wuming had indicated.
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiwei also smiled, seeing her master standing beside the moon. Then, she flew toward Meng Qi’s location.
“As expected…” Han Guang stood atop a mountain peak, his figure faintly visible.
…
Inside the Life and Death Unpredictable Sect, the sect master, surrounded by blood-sea mist, showed clear signs of panic: “Master, what should we do?”
The Crazy Blade and two Dharma Bodies had descended. The grand formation could not be quickly sealed and was on the verge of total collapse. The threat of total annihilation loomed over the sect!
The voice of the Emperor of the Underworld was deep, solemn, tinged with weariness and determination:
“The Life and Death Unpredictable Sect is not so easily destroyed. Let’s see how much they are willing to pay!”
As his voice fell, a series of deep thuds echoed. The three bronze coffins without tombstones trembled violently. The lamp beside the leftmost coffin extinguished, and with a creaking sound, its lid slowly opened.
Inside the coffin was unfathomably deep and dark, revealing nothing, as if it connected to another world. Suddenly, a massive head emerged, with the head of an ox, the mouth of a donkey, antlers like a deer, and eyes like those of a shrimp—it was a true dragon!
A true dragon!
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