Chapter 379: Unfinished Wishes (Three-in-One)

Gao Guanzi stood on a massive blue stone like a giant statue, casting one last glance back at Gao Family Village atop the mountain peak.

We are only leaving temporarily; this is absolutely not a permanent move.

Gao Guanzi now had immense confidence in Lord Xu as well.

He trusted the lord even more than Bai Laoyan did.

So Gao Guanzi decided to help the lord "stoke the fire."

He called his son over, ordered him to lead the villagers ahead first, then quietly slipped into a nearby gully overgrown with waist-high wild grass.

Immediately, a strange rustling sound arose from within the grass.

Long blades of grass, like tentacles with hooked teeth, curled in from all directions.

Beneath the shadows of the grass, countless tiny blood-red eyes suddenly opened!

Gao Guanzi cursed: "Blind dogs! Dare to eat me?"

These evil spirits in the grass were the lowest tier in Ghost Wushan.

Terrified into shivering, they hastily rolled back.

Yet a few, having gone completely mad and lost all reason, rushed up and clung to Gao Guanzi; Gao Guanzi showed no mercy, swatting them all dead just as one would swat a mosquito landing on one's body.

At that moment, Gao Guanzi wore an expression of pride, truly the veteran mountain runner with considerable standing in Ghost Wushan!

Gao Guanzi moved stealthily through the gully, muttering to himself about what kind of days these had been—captured by Li Shu, scolded, and beaten...

Twenty li from Gao Family Village stood a huge cave.

Thick smoke billowed from the cave mouth constantly, and the heat inside and out was unbearable.

This caused the area surrounding the cave to be a barren wasteland.

The only place with vegetation closest to the cave was this very gully.

But Gao Guanzi did not approach the cave; he merely swayed twice within the grass, then turned and left.

The thick smoke from the cave slowly drifted over.

Before long, it engulfed and submerged this patch of grass.

The grass trembled violently, as if choking and coughing.

The smoke quickly discovered the tracks Gao Guanzi had left behind.

Then it followed the grass in the gully, pursuing upstream.

Gao Guanzi had long since returned to the villagers' formation.

But the smoke drifted upward, and before long discovered that Gao Family Village had become an empty village.

A fierce sound erupted from within the cave.

It was like wild laughter.

This sound traveled along the smoke, through the long gully, all the way to the sky above Gao Family Village.

The grass in the gully and the evil spirits beneath it were shaken into trembling uncontrollably, suffering greatly.

Yet the cave suddenly vanished.

Several hours later, in Gao Family Village, the original fish pond had become a bottomless giant pit.

Rolling smoke rose from within it.

From a distance, the mountain peak where Gao Family Village stood appeared to have transformed into... a volcanic crater!

This cave evil spirit was Gao Family Village's old nemesis.

The root of their feud was that it believed the mountain peak of Gao Family Village was perfectly suited for itself and had always wanted to drive Gao Family Village away.

The cave evil spirit always felt it was still a child.

It should grow into a volcanic crater billowing thick smoke and boiling with molten lava.

The Heir Consort's party encountered several evil spirit attacks along the way.

The Heir Consort, Seventeenth Uncle, the maid Ruirui, and Gao Wanli, the four of them, were naturally unharmed.

But among the subordinates, only four Seventh-Rank survivors remained.

Without Master Ruan Tian's pass, the evil spirits in the mountains attacked them at will.

This was only because high-level cultivators were stationed there, their auras suppressing most of the evil spirits.

Yet there remained a portion—crazy, irrational, eerie things—that threw themselves forward recklessly.

Seventh-Rank cultivators originally needed to do no menial service, but now... in terms of both status and cultivation, they were the lowest.

They performed the tasks resentfully, yet the cruel Heir Consort still complained they were clumsy...

After finally locating Qidou Village, the Heir Consort was about to step into that forest when Seventeenth Uncle stopped her: "Your Highness, please halt. Remain here; let this old one go. If there is something Your Highness needs in that lake, this old one will risk his life to bring it back for Your Highness."

According to Rongrong's memory, the danger zone was already near that lake.

But Seventeenth Uncle, old and cunning, felt that this entire twenty-li radius of dead silence concealed fatal perils.

The Heir Consort trusted him greatly and nodded respectfully: "Thank you for your hard work, Seventeenth Uncle! If this palace bears a legitimate son in the future, I will certainly select a daughter from Seventeenth Uncle's descendants to be a concubine!"

Seventeenth Uncle nodded, then beckoned to Gao Wanli: "You come with me."

Seventeenth Uncle had two sons and one daughter.

He originally intended for the Heir to take his daughter as a concubine—she and the Heir had been childhood sweethearts.

But after the Heir Consort entered the manor, she absolutely forbade the Heir from having any other women.

There was no hope for this generation; the Heir Consort made a promise for the next.

Seventeenth Uncle walked very slowly, observing carefully as he went.

Sometimes two black-yellow flames would burst from his eyes, sometimes he would don a foreign ghost's monocle, sometimes he would swallow a pill emitting a strange odor, and then, as if his soul had left his body...

His strangest technique was cutting a small piece of flesh from his own chest, placing it in a gray tile jar used for raising crickets; after only about ten breaths, when he lifted the jar lid again, a translucent strange insect flew out!

The strange insect flew out and drilled into the void!

He switched through various methods, yet still could not discern what special quality lay here.

Seventeenth Uncle frowned tightly; he had wandered through "lands beyond the law," a hundred if not eighty, yet had never seen such a sinister place.

Having exhausted all methods with no gain, Seventeenth Uncle could only "urge" Gao Wanli to the lakeside, where she released a "skin puppet."

Clad on the outside in human skin, inside it was a craftwork machine forged by Gao Wanli using barbarian techniques.

The Princess Consort had provided various fine materials.

This craftwork was of sixth-grade quality.

Gao Wanli, proud of her new craft technique, boasted after releasing the skin puppet: "Western craftsmanship is accurate and exquisite, with strict standards and a complete system."

"I dare say this craftwork surpasses all sixth-grade creations of the old craftsmen, and also surpasses all sixth-grade cultivators!"

Seventeenth Uncle was also weary of her attitude.

Especially... the skin used for this puppet was the skin of a green-eyed barbarian.

According to Gao Wanli, this was her favorite "collection piece."

She found it incredibly handsome, surpassing all men of the Great Ming.

Including her own male consorts.

After the skin puppet was released, it walked mechanically for a few steps, then, due to the rugged and uneven terrain by the lake, became unsteady; after stumbling and falling, it simply went down on all fours and rushed into the lake like a great ape.

Seventeenth Uncle, being older, could still endure it.

But the other four seventh-grade cultivators all burst out laughing.

The green-eyed barbarian was hairy, plus this posture... one could only say: indeed very similar!

Gao Wanli's face darkened as she scolded: "What is there to laugh at?"

The four continued to laugh without stopping.

They were people of the Xiang Wang Fu, so even with their low standards, they feared not Gao Wanli.

Seventeenth Uncle stared at that great ape... ah, no, stared at that skin puppet; that thing traveled all the way to the lakeside, then entered the lake, dove into the water, and two beams of strong light shone from its eyes.

Seventeenth Uncle put on a pair of crystal glasses handed to him by Gao Wanli.

Whatever the skin puppet saw, Seventeenth Uncle saw as well.

The lake water was murky and stagnant, devoid of life; not to speak of fish and shrimp, not even a water insect was visible.

After searching over and over several times, the "dragon" that Rongrong had once seen was nowhere to be found.

Gao Wanli, standing aside, said proudly: "Among Western techniques, there is also a method you have never seen, which can immediately determine whether the thing you seek is in this lake..."

Seventeenth Uncle suddenly thought of something, his face changing drastically as he said: "Do not act rashly..."

But Gao Wanli had already activated the craftwork; that skin puppet in the lake opened its mouth and suddenly spat out a wave of disturbance.

Boom!

The vibration wave spread through the water—

In an instant, dark emotions of loathing, disgust, and resentment filled the entire void.

It seemed as though terrible silent reprimands were coming from a place far beyond reach.

Although inaudible, everyone, including Gao Wanli, perceived it clearly.

The skin puppet in the lake water, along with the four seventh-grade cultivators, were first seized and lifted into the air by an irresistible, undetectable force, then with a bang vanished from this mortal world!

Seventeenth Uncle turned and ran; just as he took a step, that person too was lifted into the air—

Not far away in the half-air beside him was Gao Wanli!

"Ahhh—"

Gao Wanli, pale with terror, let out a scream that pierced the clouds.

Seventeenth Uncle's mind raced; he quickly took two puppets from his robes and threw one toward Gao Wanli.

Bang! Bang!

The two fell heavily to the ground, while in the half-air, the two puppets replaced them, seized by that irresistible force and dragged away from this mortal world.

Seventeenth Uncle grabbed Gao Wanli and rushed at high speed into the forest.

Those puppets were not craftworks, but "White Ducks" specially made by Seventeenth Uncle, extremely expensive.

If a wealthy family committed a capital crime, they would spend great sums to bribe connections up and down, then pay someone to die in their place.

This trade is called "Slaughtering the White Duck."

It is said that in Zhengzhou, often five hundred taels of silver could buy a person to die in one's place.

Seventeenth Uncle cultivated precisely the "Litigation Art," and was thoroughly familiar with such dark transactions within the yamen.

Within the Litigation Art, there is a major category specifically for paying to change judgments!

There is no lawsuit that cannot be resolved, only money not spent adequately.

In this regard, it bears some resemblance to the "Commerce Art."

Seventeenth Uncle dragged Gao Wanli, sprinting through the forest.

That intense malice in the void pursued relentlessly.

Behind Seventeenth Uncle, banknotes constantly rained down.

Those banknotes flew like snowflakes, forming "paper men" in the air, then were seized by the irresistible force and dragged away from this mortal world!

Seventeenth Uncle moved at extreme speed, and the consumption rate of the banknotes behind him was equally extreme!

Finally, he burst out of the range of that forest; Seventeenth Uncle was heartbroken, having spent all the silver on his person!

"Your Highness, give more money."

Normally, when the Princess Consort needed money, she would simply signal, and two maids beside her would distribute the silver.

But Seventeenth Uncle demanded far more.

Even the Heir Apparent's Consort felt a sharp pang of loss.

Just now, during that frantic flight, the Heir Apparent's Consort estimated they had spent at least one hundred thousand taels of silver!

The Wang Fu of Xiang is indeed vast in wealth and estate, but such reckless spending cannot be sustained.

Furthermore, the Heir Apparent's Consort secretly resented that the Seventeenth Uncle had expended a "White Duck" to save Gao Wanli.

Such a precious thing, wasted on this woman.

Bringing this woman along served only one purpose: to use her to inspect the lake water.

Now that she is useless, her death matters little.

Does the Gao family dare demand an explanation from this Palace?

Even though the Seventeenth Uncle is worldly-wise, he could never have imagined that this very matter would cause the Heir Apparent's Consort displeasure...

Gao Wanli is your person; I, an old man, saved your person!

"Since that person is no longer here..." the Heir Apparent's Consort pondered, recalling the scenes returned by Rongrong, and naturally thought of another crucial clue: "That mountain runner, he is from Gao Family Village; go to Gao Family Village!"

With this journey, only five people remained.

The Heir Apparent's Consort, the Seventeenth Uncle, Gao Wanli, Ruirui, and that guide youth.

Ruirui felt her life was bitter, so she had to serve herself.

That guide youth was merely a mountain dweller; he knew nothing of proper etiquette.

If he were to serve, he would only offend the Highness.

Fortunately, that youth was at least somewhat useful; although he led them astray several times, he ultimately brought everyone to the foot of the mountain where Gao Family Village stood.

The youth looked at the rolling thick smoke rising from the mountain peak, his face full of confusion: "This is indeed the place, but has Gao Family Village been burned?"

The Heir Apparent's Consort let out a cold snort; could it be that the mountain runner, knowing he would be reckoned with, led the villagers away and set fire before leaving?

"Go up and see."

The guide youth shrank back in fear: "I will wait for you below; the mountain runners of that village are extremely vicious..."

The Heir Apparent's Consort sneered coldly; could it be left to your choice?

Ruirui then grabbed the youth by the scruff and climbed the mountain with him.

The moment these people stepped onto the mountain peak, the cave evil spirit erupted in furious rage!

Mr. Floating Drift descended from the Bronze Coffin Cliff.

His tongue curled, covering most of his face.

This was his expression of shame, feeling he had no face to show others.

Seeing Lord Xu again, Mr. Floating Drift sighed lightly, knowing that "old friend" Bai Laoyan had sold him out.

Lord Xu smiled and said, "I have business to see the master of this place; I beg Mr. to introduce me."

Mr. Floating Drift: "Please wait a moment."

After all, he was a scholar; even if somewhat embarrassed, his manners were exceedingly proper.

It was a pity... now that the household had a fierce woman, those beautiful ghost attendants who studied with him had all been dismissed.

Otherwise, they would have been released to boil water and brew tea here to entertain an old friend.

Mr. Floating Drift went up again and returned shortly, bowing deeply and saying, "My lord, please—"

He added a reminder: "They... are about to rinse their mouths; the time left for my lord is short. Whatever business you have, my lord, just speak directly."

"Rinse their mouths?" Xu Yuan reacted for a moment before remembering: Bai Laoyan had said that every seven days, dozens of ancient corpses would open their coffins and exhale, shrouding a radius of ten li in a green-black thick fog.

Anything, if it accidentally wandered into it, would turn into a corpse corpse within five steps!

Lord Xu muttered to himself: Are the ancient corpses rinsing their mouths?

Their breath is indeed quite strong; no wonder they need to rinse their mouths frequently.

This black cliff stands seven hundred zhang high.

There are a total of forty-one bronze ancient coffins.

Most are located at a height of five hundred zhang.

At seven hundred zhang, there is only one bronze ancient coffin.

A stone chamber like a palace has been carved out here.

Mr. Floating Drift ascended first, followed by Xu Yuan.

Deep within the dim stone chamber, oil lamps lit up one by one; the lamp flames were a sinister green, and in their flickering, it seemed as if wronged souls were being burned, emitting some wail that could not reach the world of the living.

In the largest stone chamber at the very center, a massive bronze ancient coffin, originally lying flat, suddenly stood upright.

The coffin lid opened, instantly engulfing both Xu Yuan and Tian Jing!

Xu Yuan immediately understood: this ancient coffin is the cliff, and the cliff is the ancient coffin!

As long as one ascends this cliff, it is equivalent to falling into this coffin.

An indescribably cold and sticky sensation, like a living snake, crawled up Xu Yuan's entire body from his heels.

Ahead, the dim lamp light illuminated a deep, dark tomb passage.

A terrifying ancient corpse, hundreds of zhang tall, entirely green-black with blood-red eyes and fangs, sat upon a golden throne.

It wore a crown and a dragon robe.

Its hair, like maggots, writhed.

Its left hand pressed down on a blood seal carved from an elephant skull.

Its right hand gripped a bronze straight sword characteristic of Southern Jiaozhi.

It was an ancient corpse Empress.

It gazed coldly at Xu Yuan and Tian Jing.

Yet that gaze seeped with an exceptionally strong corruption.

This place is its kingdom of the dead; it holds supreme, life-and-death power!

Tian Jing could not control himself; countless roots, thick and thin, long and short, shot out from his lower body with a whoosh, drilling in all directions!

Mr. Piaodang hurriedly urged, "No..."

But it was already too late. On the ancient corpse empress's left hand, the elephant-headed great seal lit up with a vortex of bloody light in one eye socket.

An unimaginably terrifying immense force fell from thin air, crushing Tian Jing and all his roots heavily onto the ground.

It was as if a ten-thousand-jun giant elephant had stepped down on him with one foot.

The ancient corpse empress seemed provoked; she raised the bronze straight sword in her right hand, about to point it at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan said coldly, "Soon, a group of cultivators will arrive at Copper Coffin Cliff. Among them, one fourth-tier, one fifth-tier, and one sixth-tier artisan cultivator.

I wish to ask Your Majesty to help me kill them. Your Majesty, name your price."

Mr. Piaodang was greatly startled; his long tongue rolled and trembled incessantly.

My lord Xu, are you not too bold?

You want to borrow a knife to kill, yet you say it so blatantly?

Xu Yuan indeed had no intention of concealing it.

To use Copper Coffin Cliff to execute the Heir Apparent's consort and her party, he could indeed provoke both sides, make various arrangements, and let them misunderstand and slaughter each other.

But Seventeenth Uncle is fourth-tier.

If this one at Copper Coffin Cliff refuses to exert his utmost, no matter how he arranges things, in the end it might be that both sides fight, then communicate, and discover it was a misunderstanding.

The two families would then cease hostilities.

Both sides' levels are too high.

It is very difficult to kill the opponent within the first few exchanges.

Seventeenth Uncle is old and cunning.

And this ancient corpse empress, since she has always wanted to take Mr. Piaodang as a consort, shows she possesses very high intelligence.

No one would let themselves be used to fight a powerful enemy to the death.

And My lord Xu now holds enough chips to negotiate directly with the ancient corpse empress.

What Xu Yuan fears is only Seventeenth Uncle.

If the ancient corpse empress demands too much, Xu Yuan will settle for less; he only needs the ancient corpse empress to tie up Seventeenth Uncle.

Xu Yuan will kill the Heir Apparent's consort himself, and then obtain the remaining parts of the Dragon Transformation Method.

Xu Yuan wears a mud mask; Seventeenth Uncle has no direct evidence proving the culprit is him.

As for the Fu family and the Xiang Wang Fu, they will certainly suspect him—after all, the Fu family has always suspected him before; now it is just adding the Xiang Wang Fu.

In any case, Xu Yuan is determined to obtain the Dragon Transformation Method!

And Xu Yuan's bargaining chip with the ancient corpse empress is the business of the Jiao and Tian Jing on Guanghuo Street.

What a great evil spirit seeks is nothing but two things: first, blood food; second, items to enhance its own power.

Xu Yuan will absolutely not accept the former.

But for the latter, whatever the ancient corpse empress needs, Xu Yuan can acquire for it on Guanghuo Street.

But to Xu Yuan's words, the ancient corpse empress seemed not to hear; the bronze straight sword in her hand still rose uncontrollably, pointing at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan glanced at Mr. Piaodang.

You, my favored consort, why not slander him now? What are you waiting for?

Mr. Piaodang, forcing his courage, clicked his tongue, and his figure drifted forward to block in front of Xu Yuan: "Your Majesty..."

That bronze straight sword, however, still did not stop for a single instant.

Mr. Piaodang tightly closed both eyes.

This life was saved by My lord Xu; let this be repayment to him—

But after waiting for a long while, there was no feeling of soul scattering and spirit dispersing.

He quietly opened one eye.

He saw the ancient corpse empress steadily holding the bronze straight sword, seemingly absolutely unwilling to give up.

Yet she did not truly strike.

That gloomy, terrifying face became even more gloomy.

Mr. Piaodang then revealed a dashing smile and praised, "I didn't notice just now; it turns out Your Majesty is wearing the necklace I gave you a few days ago. Hmm, it suits Your Majesty perfectly; you are even more radiant than usual by a third."

Tian Jing immediately understood why Mr. Piaodang could eat this bowl of soft rice, while he could not.

This ghostly appearance, head full of maggots, yet still "radiant"?!

The ancient corpse empress finally spoke; her voice, surprisingly, was somewhat hoarse yet still quite pleasant.

But her words were not very pleasant to hear: "What kind of evil friends have you made outside!"

Mr. Piaodang, however, smiled and drifted up, brushing past one side of the straight sword, and sat beside the empress on the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty, why not listen to his conditions? I know Your Majesty also has some unfulfilled wishes."

Mr. Piaodang pointed his tongue at Xu Yuan: "This person is the Chief Law Officer of the Chengzhou Branch of the Huangming Purification Bureau; he holds considerable power in the human world."

The instant Mr. Piaodang sat on the dragon throne, in the eyes of Xu Yuan and Tian Jing, the ancient corpse empress's visual effect of being "hundreds of feet" tall vanished.

The ancient corpse empress was indeed very tall, a head taller than Mr. Piaodang.

But still within the normal range.

Xu Yuan tilted his head, finding it strange himself: these two sitting together actually made people feel very matched!

"Kill a fourth-tier, five thousand living blood foods..."

The moment the ancient corpse empress opened her mouth, Xu Yuan waved his hand: "This official will absolutely not give living humans to an evil spirit to eat."

The Ancient Corpse Empress erupted in fury; with a Boom on the bronze straight sword, a patch of ghastly green fierce fire ignited.

Xu Yuan immediately felt some strange power surge toward him from all directions.

It was as if dozens of giant pythons had coiled around him, tightening their grip.

"My Lord Xu!" Mr. Piao Dang began to "scold" Xu Yuan: "You show insufficient respect to Your Majesty! If you maintain this attitude, I shall sever our ties and cut our robes!"

This attitude greatly satisfied the Ancient Corpse Empress.

Xu Yuan soon felt those "invisible giant pythons" on his body loosen somewhat.

"It is this official's fault." Xu Yuan immediately followed up on Mr. Piao Dang's words.

In his heart, he couldn't help but praise: Mr. Piao Dang, truly a treacherous consort!

"Your Majesty." Xu Yuan said again: "This official does not deal in blood sacrifices. If Your Majesty has other conditions, we can negotiate. If blood sacrifice is absolutely required, this official can only take his leave."

After a pause, Xu Yuan added: "In this official's view, Your Majesty seems not to require any blood sacrifice at all. Why not be open and honest and discuss this seriously? This official truly has great sincerity."

The Ancient Corpse Empress turned her stiff neck and looked at the treacherous consort beside her.

Bloodlight flashed in her eyes, as if asking a question.

Mr. Piao Dang said: "Your Majesty, just give him a chance."

The Ancient Corpse Empress nodded.

The bronze straight sword fell.

Its terrifying aura slowly faded; in no time, it truly transformed into a beautiful female corpse!

Only her complexion still appeared somewhat greenish-black, and the chill radiating from her body remained undiminished.

"The Ruan family usurped our dynasty's fate!"

"This grudge is irreconcilable and shall never perish for ten thousand generations!"

"Within this mountain, there is still a descendant of the Ruan false king."

"If you help me eliminate it, I will help you kill that group!"

Tian Jing and Mr. Piao Dang were utterly shocked.

They never expected the Ancient Corpse Empress's "unfulfilled wish" to be this.

Master Ruan Tian is the greatest evil spirit in this mountain, a presence even the Canal Dragon King fears.

How can we negotiate under these circumstances?

Unexpectedly, Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "Your Majesty's condition is not beyond negotiation."

(End of this chapter)