Gu Xiulian was originally an extremely intelligent person. He had once plotted against me, nearly succeeding, and his observational skills were astonishing. I carefully examined the past and realized that the Corpse King indeed never opened its mouth from start to finish—this was abnormal. If a Corpse King intended to suck blood, it would certainly have fangs and would frequently open its mouth, sometimes even revealing a black tongue. The fact that the Corpse King kept its mouth tightly shut could only mean it was clenching something inside, unable to open it.
After exchanging glances with Gu Xiulian, we both leaped backward and shouted, “The elixir of immortality is inside the Corpse King’s mouth!” This was almost the only thing I could be certain of. Abe Kon and Abe Keiko, who had been hiding to the side, turned their heads upon hearing our cries. Abe Kon remarked, “Indeed. So it was hidden in the Corpse King’s mouth.”
Abe Keiko’s gunshots rang out as she fired. Abe Kon also stepped forward. As the head of the Abe family and a master of Onmyōji arts, he was skilled in subduing demons and ghosts. He had dealt with zombies in Japan, and his ancestor, Abe no Seimei, had once confronted a Golden-Armored Corpse—the only one ever recorded in Japanese history, something even the vast lands of China had never witnessed. A Golden-Armored Corpse could rival a Corpse King. However, the Abe Kon of today was no match for the legendary Abe no Seimei. Yet, driven by his desire for the elixir, he took the risk. He untied a red rope from his waist, seemingly a magical artifact. It appeared Abe Kon intended to bind the Corpse King with it, pry open its mouth, and retrieve the elixir.
Gu Xiulian and I shared a silent understanding. “Thank you,” he said before walking to his master’s side, kowtowing repeatedly. He then bowed before Hammer Lord’s body and Dong Lingzi’s corpse.
Unlike me, Gu Xiulian’s body was severely affected by the red corpse energy. Though he had Taoist protective qi, I had shielded him several times in critical moments to prevent harm.
I said, “I’m not doing this for you. Your master, Gu Rechang, was a righteous Taoist at heart. I truly didn’t want his legacy to end with you.” Gu Xiulian, stubborn and proud, scoffed at my rescue. “Master Xiao, spare me your false righteousness. My master’s suffering is deeply tied to your Ghost Sect. The torment Ye Wenxin and Lin You inflicted on him is beyond description.”
With remorse, I replied, “Perhaps they didn’t intend for it either. I’m sorry.” Dong Lingzi interjected, “Ye Wenxin was not a member of the Ghost Sect.”
Gu Xiulian’s master’s head had fallen to the ground. He picked it up and tried placing it back on the neck multiple times, only for it to roll off again. With a heavy sigh, he rested the head on Gu Rechang’s own lap.
I thought to myself: if Ye Wenxin and Lin You hadn’t tortured Gu Rechang during that calamity, and if his temperament hadn’t drastically changed, perhaps his disciples, Ji Ruyue and Gu Xiulian, would have grown into righteous and heroic individuals, just like Gu Rechang in his youth. But hypotheticals were useless. Later, Ji Ruyue had tormented Ye Wenxin in turn—this cycle of vengeance should never have existed.
Dong Lingzi explained, “Back then, Gu Rechang was tortured because Lin You accidentally learned about the elixir from Ye Wenxin. Gu Rechang was connected to it. Lin You’s goal was to obtain the elixir for a retired elder official.”
Gu Xiulian cursed, “The elixir of immortality… I despise it to the core.”
Only now did Gu Xiulian realize that his master had died because of a single phrase related to the elixir.
From Lin Dawei’s promising future, it was clear that his grandfather, Lin You, had sought the elixir for his own ambitions—to secure favor with the elder official. Lin You must have learned about the elixir from Ye Wenxin, who, in turn, knew of it due to his connections with Master Ye Guyi and my grandfather, Long Youshui.
Previously, I had no knowledge of the elixir’s secret—likely because my grandfather didn’t want me involved. The less I knew, the less trouble I’d invite.
The Ghost Sect bore undeniable responsibility for Gu Rechang’s suffering. Because of what happened to him, the fates of Gu Xiulian and Ji Ruyue were altered. Even Gu Xiulian’s desire to destroy the jade ruler seemed understandable now.
At this moment, Gu Xiulian’s face was disfigured, his master dead, and his senior brother gone. He was truly alone in this world. As for me, I still had friends and parents waiting at home. A single ripple in the past, like the flap of a butterfly’s wings, had reshaped Gu Xiulian’s entire destiny.
Taking a deep breath, I said, “Gu Xiulian… I’m sorry. If you feel lonely, I’ll buy you a drink someday.”
Gu Xiulian’s expression darkened, and he remained silent. He removed his outer robe and gently covered his master’s body, tears streaming down his face. Suddenly, he turned to me and pointed at Hua Changsheng. “If you don’t save him now, he’ll turn into a zombie.”
Hua Changsheng’s fangs had grown significantly, already embedded in the stone. I stepped forward and slapped his forehead, drawing a talisman to suppress his transformation temporarily.
Dong Lingzi said, “The Corpse Queen did this to him. You’ll need to grind her fangs into powder and make him drink it.” I nodded. The few minutes spent talking with Gu Xiulian had given Abe Kon time to attempt restraining the Corpse King.
His red rope seemed like a powerful artifact, but Abe Kon’s skin had darkened with corpse spots—worse even than Meng Liuchuan. It appeared he, like Hua Chongyang, practiced by absorbing the energy of the dead.
Abe Keiko applied zombie oil to her body before daring to approach. The red rope bound the Corpse King as Abe Kon summoned a spectral form to pin it down. Meanwhile, the Silver-Armored Corpse, the Indestructible Bones, Hua Chongyang, and the Fragrant Corpse Guo Furong had subdued the Corpse Queen.
However, the Silver-Armored Corpse had lost an arm, and the Indestructible Bones was severely wounded. The battle had been brutal. I picked up the jade ruler and a rock, intending to extract the Corpse Queen’s fangs to save Hua Changsheng.
The Corpse Queen struggled fiercely but was exhausted and restrained by the four zombies. “Forgive me,” I muttered before smashing the rock against her fang—only for the rock to shatter.
Her eyes rolled fiercely, locking onto me. A chill ran down my spine, but hesitation wasn’t an option. Gu Xiulian tossed me a dagger. With a forceful strike, I pried out one of her fangs. Thanks to the Five Worms inside me and my year of travels, my strength far surpassed that of an ordinary man. As I moved to extract the second fang, the Corpse Queen let out a horrifying shriek.
Hearing his wife’s distress, the Corpse King roared and broke free from Abe Kon’s binding, charging at me with terrifying speed. I couldn’t dodge in time. The impact sent me flying into a wall, blood gushing from my mouth as I nearly blacked out.
The thousand-year-old Silver-Armored Corpse, already missing an arm, was impaled through the chest by the Corpse King, its black heart crushed in an instant. The sight horrified Guo Jue, who had long accompanied the Silver-Armored Corpse. With a final roar, the Corpse King reduced the Silver-Armored Corpse to a lifeless heap.
Abe Kon chanted furiously, trying to reactivate the red rope, but the Corpse King, now resembling a demon from hell, ignored its burns. The Indestructible Bones, despite its resilience, fell next. Only Guo Furong and Hua Chongyang, retaining human consciousness, managed to retreat.
Freed once more, the Corpse Queen glared at me with hatred. I gripped the jade ruler, leaning against the wall as she lunged. A hastily formed hand seal barely held her off, but the ruler’s blue glow was my only defense. Dong Lingzi shook his head in frustration, unable to assist.
Suddenly, Xie Xiaoyu—whom I had kept out of the fight—charged in, knocking the Corpse Queen down. Without moonlight in the tomb, Xie Xiaoyu was at a disadvantage. The Corpse Queen, though weakened, still possessed immense strength and one remaining deadly fang.
Acting on instinct, I dashed forward, slamming multiple suppression talismans onto the Corpse Queen. The jade ruler flared brilliantly, resonating with my desperation to save Xie Xiaoyu.
The Corpse Queen shrieked in agony as the ruler’s power struck her. Hearing her cries, the Corpse King tore through the red rope, causing Abe Kon to vomit blood. His body rapidly decayed into a pool of blood, consumed by the very corpse energy he had harnessed.
“Master!” Abe Keiko screamed, but it was too late.
Now unrestrained, the Corpse King lunged at me with claw-like nails. Xie Xiaoyu shoved me aside just in time, taking the blow herself. Her clothes tore, revealing a fleeting expression of pain before she masked it with a serene smile.
I crashed against a massive stone coffin five meters away. Inside, something unknown lay hidden. Xie Xiaoyu, now surrounded by the Corpse King and Queen, swayed weakly.
Tears streamed down my face as I cried out, “No!”
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