Upon hearing this, Jin Yuan still harbored some doubts in his heart but refrained from pressing further. After chatting with Han Li for a while longer, he stood up and took his leave.
Watching the figure disappear through the stone door, the smile on Han Li’s face gradually faded, replaced by a trace of gloom. After a long silence, he suddenly retrieved the jade box again, opened its lid, and stared at its contents without uttering a word.
“What? Are you really considering exploring that ancient tomb?” The calm voice of the Great Divination Sage echoed in Han Li’s consciousness.
“Of course not. Though I can’t say how much of what he said is credible, I’m no greenhorn to take such risks. However, the idea of an emperor’s tomb does pique my curiosity. Perhaps I’ll investigate once my cultivation is fully restored. But that man clearly had ulterior motives—acting all friendly and forthright, as if I were a three-year-old child. Someone who’s lived for centuries wouldn’t casually share such secrets, especially not with a stranger. Such eagerness can only mean deceit or malice!” Han Li’s lips curled into a cold smirk as he spoke nonchalantly.
“True enough. But novices fresh out of training are the easiest to deceive. They might lower their guard, thinking the other party is sincere, only to be betrayed without realizing it. Back in my day, I too…” The Great Divination Sage sighed, his voice trailing off as he abruptly stopped speaking.
“Oh? Did you, Senior, also fall for such tricks?” Han Li was momentarily taken aback before chuckling.
“Hmph! I was young once too. Being fooled isn’t that unusual,” the Great Divination Sage grumbled, sounding somewhat embarrassed.
“Very well, I won’t pry into your past mishaps. But if even the Soulcry Beast is interested in this thing, it must be quite peculiar!” Han Li’s expression turned serious as he patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist. A streak of black light shot out, landing on the table and transforming into a miniature monkey, barely an inch tall, with glossy black fur.
The moment the monkey appeared, it sniffed the air a few times before its gaze settled on the golden bubble, its face betraying hesitation.
Han Li found this odd and silently observed the Soulcry Beast, communicating with it through their mental link.
From the feedback he received, the beast seemed both wary of the golden bubble and yet strangely eager. Before Han Li could ponder further, the Soulcry Beast suddenly emitted a dark aura, leaped up, and plunged into the bubble. The bubble’s surface flared with light as strands of gray flame materialized, enveloping the beast.
The Soulcry Beast’s face contorted in pain, yet it continued to release inky black energy that intertwined with the gray flames, remaining motionless within the bubble.
Han Li frowned deeply.
Though unsure of what was happening, it was clear the Soulcry Beast wouldn’t emerge anytime soon—it seemed to be cultivating using the gray flames. Strangely, the moment the flames appeared, the bubble radiated an astonishing surge of spiritual energy.
“Wait! This scene seems familiar. I think I’ve seen something like this before,” the Great Divination Sage murmured in surprise, as if recalling something.
“What have you remembered?” Han Li asked, intrigued. “Let me think… It was a long time ago,” the Sage replied, his tone growing solemn.
Han Li remained silent, watching the Soulcry Beast in the bubble while lost in thought.
After a long pause, the Sage spoke again.
“I remember now. During my travels, I once encountered something similar on a ten-thousand-year Corpse King. That Corpse King was once a high-ranking Buddhist monk. After turning, he refined his own relic into an incredibly powerful protective barrier. Once activated, it became nearly indestructible for a short time. I suffered greatly against it. But that was ages ago, and his barrier was silver—I didn’t make the connection at first. Such relics are usually hidden within the Corpse King’s body. How did it end up with a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Jin Yuan?” The Sage’s voice was full of astonishment.
“If even you suffered against it, this must be a formidable treasure indeed. Regardless of how he obtained it, the real question is whether the Soulcry Beast is in danger,” Han Li said, his expression shifting between awe and concern.
“Can’t you see? Your spirit beast is absorbing the Corpse Flame within the relic. Honestly, not only are you an anomaly, but even your beasts are bizarre. A spirit beast that specializes in suppressing ghosts and demons? In all my years, I’ve never heard of a Soulcry Beast,” the Sage muttered.
“Absorbing Corpse Flame?” Han Li looked closely and saw the beast’s dark energy slowly consuming the gray flames, easing his worry. But the Sage’s next words made him smile wryly.
“To be honest, this creature has deviated so much from its original breeding method that after several evolutions, it’s hard to say if it’s still a Soulcry Beast,” Han Li admitted helplessly.
“Ah, so it’s a mutated spirit beast. No wonder it has that ghostly pattern on its back. These Corpse Flames have turned gray-white, meaning they’re over ten thousand years old—pure Corpse Fire that would kill ordinary cultivators or beasts on contact. Yet your beast dares to devour them? Remarkable. But this treasure doesn’t seem fully refined or bound. Otherwise, its original owner could recall it from thousands of miles away with a mere thought. Strange,” the Sage mused.
“Unbound? So once the Soulcry Beast absorbs all the Corpse Flame, I’ll have a free treasure. Who’d have thought I’d acquire a Buddhist treasure before even learning their techniques? I’d love to see how powerful this Vajra Barrier forged from a relic truly is,” Han Li chuckled after a moment of silence.
“Not just any relic—a Vajra Relic. Most relics are white, with other colors being rare. Only golden relics are called Vajra Relics, the rarest of all. Buddhist cultivators who refine such relics typically hold the position of Vajra Protector, a prestigious role akin to an enforcement elder in other sects,” the Sage explained with a sigh.
“So, a barrier from such a relic must be even stronger than the one you encountered,” Han Li speculated, his eyes gleaming.
“Likely so. The reputation of Vajra Relics is legendary in Buddhism. But I’ve never compared them directly, so I can’t say for sure,” the Sage replied hesitantly.
Han Li smiled and was about to respond when the golden bubble on the table trembled. A pea-sized green light shot out, darting toward the ceiling.
Startled, Han Li focused his divine sense, forming an invisible barrier. The green light collided with it and bounced back. The Soulcry Beast snorted, releasing a radiant mist that swiftly recaptured the green light and swallowed it.
Han Li’s brow furrowed as he stared at the bubble, a suspicion forming in his mind.
…
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, in a vast tomb chamber, three stone coffins lay side by side. The chamber was enormous, spanning over a hundred zhang, its walls adorned with ancient murals. At each corner stood a massive bronze cauldron burning with eerie green flames, casting a dim glow.
Suddenly, a pained groan came from the left coffin, followed by a loud *bang* as its heavy lid flew several zhang into the air before crashing to the ground.
Amid swirling black mist, a towering figure rose from the coffin.
“My child, what troubles you so?” A deep, authoritative voice emanated from the central coffin.
“My… my… split soul… gone!” the towering figure growled haltingly, its speech broken.
“A lost split soul? Just a fragment from one of your avatars, no doubt. No matter. With the ‘Netherworld Corpse Art’ your father taught you, you’ll recover it soon enough. Must you always be so volatile?” A sweet, melodious voice chimed in from the smaller coffin.
“But… my… Vajra Barrier!” The shadowy figure thumped its chest twice, still grumbling.
“The Vajra Barrier? The one refined from that old monk’s relic during my last awakening? I already helped you refine most of it. Why haven’t you completed the process?” The central voice turned icy.
“I…” The figure faltered, panic creeping into its tone.
“My king, don’t blame our child. They mentioned this to me,” the sweet voice interjected as the smaller coffin lid slid open, revealing a slender silhouette obscured by the gloom.
“Explain, my consort. That Vajra Barrier is a rare treasure. I entrusted it to our child for protection, given their limited power. Otherwise, I’d have claimed it myself,” the king demanded, his tone softening slightly.
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