Translator: Cinder Translations
The four sides of the platform were lined with eighty-one stone steps, connecting the steps to the floor of the stone hall.
As Zhong Liang stepped onto the first stone step, the four bronze corpses on the platform simultaneously turned around, their four gray-black eyes fixed intently on Zhong Liang, generating a suffocating sense of pressure.
A hint of panic flashed in Zhong Liang's eyes, but after steadying his mind, he continued to ascend.
As he drew closer to the platform, the malevolent aura emanating from the bronze corpses grew stronger, as if they would tear him apart the mont he dared to step onto the platform.
In the distance, Tang Fu, Miao Fa, and the others watched the movents of the bronze corpses with grave expressions, fearful that they would suddenly spring into action. At the sa ti, they were extrely curious about how Zhong Liang planned to lure the bronze corpses off the platform.
After Zhong Liang reached the last step, he did not rush to take the next step but instead stood still on the final stone step.
At that mont, there was not a trace of tension on his face; instead, he wore a calm expression, even displaying a strange smile.
"Just as recorded in the jade slip, as long as I don't step onto the platform, these bronze corpses won't attack on their own."
"Since that's the case, the thod to lure the corpses recorded in the jade slip should also be effective."
Zhong Liang thought to himself.
He then ford several hand seals with his hands and directed them at the four bronze corpses.
Next, he threw four blood-colored chunks of flesh, about the size of a basin, which landed not far from the four corners of the platform.
Imdiately, the bronze corpses' eyes began to turn red, and low, guttural roars escaped their mouths.
They exerted force with their legs, leaping high into the air and pouncing toward the four pieces of flesh below the platform.
Like starving wild beasts, they snatched up the flesh and brought it to their mouths.
The basin-sized pieces of flesh were quickly torn apart and swallowed whole under their bites.
However, the chunks of flesh clearly did not satisfy them; instead, they sparked a deeper craving for blood and flesh within them.
They raised their bloody eyes, exposing their sharp fangs still sared with flesh, and gazed toward Tang Fu and the others.
Seeing this, Tang Fu and Miao Fa's expressions changed dramatically.
"Why aren't the bronze corpses attacking Zhong Liang?" Miao Fa exclaid, panic-stricken, as he questioned Tang Fu beside him.
"Damn it! The jade slip Zhong Liang showed must be incomplete; he's deliberately concealed critical information from us."
Tang Fu glared at Zhong Liang, who was walking step by step toward the bronze coffin on the platform, filled with resentnt.
At this mont, he finally understood that from the very beginning, Zhong Liang had been using him.
Before he could finish his thought, everyone turned to flee outside the stone hall.
"Boom!"
Just then, the large door of the stone hall closed eerily on its own.
The group found themselves trapped inside the stone hall.
Miao Fa, at the forefront, summoned a staff and raised it high to strike the stone door.
"Bang!"
Miao Fa stumbled back two steps.
The stone door trembled a few tis but returned to its original state.
Miao Fa's expression darkened considerably.
Not being able to break through the stone door ant they had beco fish in a barrel, the at on the platter for the four bronze corpses.
He turned to see the four bronze corpses rushing toward them and shouted loudly, "Don't run! We can only fight to the death; if we don't kill these bronze corpses, we'll never get out
alive."
A golden bowl appeared in front of him, radiating brilliant golden light toward one of the bronze corpses.
The bronze corpse illuminated by the golden light seed to be pressed down by an invisible force, its speed drastically reduced, and its movents beca sluggish.
The corpse energy on the bronze corpse began to dissolve slowly, as if it had encountered its nesis.
Seeing this, the other cultivators realized they could no longer escape and quickly unleashed their techniques to attack the bronze corpses and prevent them from closing in.
Tang Fu activated the Fla Extre Whip, wrapping it around one of the bronze corpses.
Just as the long whip was about to ensnare the bronze corpse, it raised a hand and slapped down at the whip.
Unexpectedly, the whip cleverly dodged to the side, skillfully avoiding the bronze corpse's
palm.
Then, like a nimble serpent, the whip swiftly wrapped around the bronze corpse's left leg and extended upward, tightly constricting its body.
Having succeeded with his technique, Tang Fu's eyes suddenly beca sharp, and the whip
ignited with searing flas.
Flas surged along the long whip, engulfing the bronze corpse.
Cold corpse energy emitted from the bronze corpse, intertwining with the fierce flas,
creating a violent energy that swept around them.
The flas and corpse energy held each other at a standstill, with neither side able to gain the
upper hand.
"Tang Si, help kill this corpse first!" Tang Fu shouted loudly.
Aside from Miao Fa, the other three monks managed to work together to barely hold off one
bronze corpse.
The three Tang family cultivators and three loose cultivators combined their strength to barely fend off a single bronze corpse.
Hearing Tang Fu's command, Tang Si redirected his flying sword to slash at the bronze corpse
trapped by the Fla Extre Whip.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
The flying sword struck the bronze corpse as if it were striking tal, producing a series of sparks, while the bronze corpse's body remained almost unscathed.
Seeing this, Miao Fa called out, "These bronze corpses are incredibly resilient; ordinary spirit
weapons can hardly inflict damage on them."
"What should we do then?" Tang Fu asked.
"You all hold off the three bronze corpses for a mont; don't let them get close. Once I use
my Buddhist techniques to kill the bronze corpse I've trapped, I'll co to assist you," Miao
Fa replied.
Tang Fu nodded, "Alright!"
As Miao Fa controlled the golden bowl, he simultaneously called forth his staff.
The staff radiated golden light, striking the bronze corpse ensnared by the golden bowl.
The staff hit the bronze corpse's head, and surprisingly, the seemingly indestructible skull caved in.
Seeing that the staff could injure the bronze corpse, Miao Fa's expression brightened, and he continued to wield the staff, striking continuously.
After several powerful blows, the bronze corpse's head was crushed, yet it did not fall;
instead, its corpse energy weakened significantly.
Miao Fa struck down dozens more tis, smashing the bronze corpse's body into pieces, and
only then did the corpse energy dissipate, leaving it motionless.
Seeing this, everyone's expressions brightened.
"The master's Buddhist techniques are truly profound; he can kill a bronze corpse all on his
own. Master, co help us slay these three bronze corpses, and then we can go find Zhong
Liang to settle accounts!" Tang Fu shouted.
However, Miao Fa did not move.
Although it seed effortless for him to slay the bronze corpse just now, it had actually
consud a significant amount of his spiritual power.
He could barely manage to kill one more bronze corpse before exhausting his spiritual energy
completely.
Naturally, Miao Fa would not deplete his power to save Tang Fu and the others, putting
himself in a dangerous position with no energy left to use.
Miao Fa turned his gaze to the platform.
On the platform, Zhong Liang had already opened the enormous bronze coffin.
Inside the coffin, there was no corpse or skeleton; instead, there was a humanoid sculpture
made of green wood.
The statue depicted a young woman, elegantly posed.
The wooden statue was intricately carved, lifelike, as if it were a real woman lost in deep
sleep.
The statue was covered in complex and mysterious runes, giving it an eerie and enigmatic
aura.
The mont Zhong Liang saw the statue, his eyes widened, shining with disbelief.
"Soul-nourishing wood! I can't believe such a massive piece of soul-nourishing wood exists in the world, carved into a human form-it's simply wasteful."
Soul-nourishing wood is an exceedingly rare third-tier ghostly treasure, highly coveted by all
spirits. A piece the size of a palm can prevent the souls of the dead from dispersing for a
thousand years.
Once a cultivator forms their Golden Core, their soul becos stable and is not easily
dispersed.
So cultivators, unwilling to let their souls return to the underworld after death, seek out soul-nourishing wood to house their souls within, allowing them to transform into ghost- like beings.
However, this soul-nourishing wooden statue gave off a sense of imminent decay.
It was as if ti had passed too long, and the spirit within the soul-nourishing wood was nearly exhausted.
Zhong Liang suppressed his greed for the soul-nourishing wood.
This statue was indeed too strange; he did not dare to touch it lightly.
But aside from the statue, there was nothing else in the bronze coffin.
This left Zhong Liang feeling greatly disappointed and unwilling.
After spending many years and enduring countless hardships to reach this place, was he really going to return empty-handed?
(End of the Chapter)
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