Chapter 269: Truly Seeking Death!

"Seeking death!" Xiao Qing let out a cold snort, waved her jade hand, and a streak of green light flashed by. Several desiccated corpses were immediately smashed to pieces, turning into a pile of bone shards on the ground. Xiao Bai was not idle either; she unleashed her Dharma Artifact, knocking back several other desiccated corpses.

Lin Xuan, meanwhile, stood motionless where he was, merely flicking out a few Talismans. Those Talismans transformed into firelight in mid-air, burning the remaining desiccated corpses to ashes. The entire process was fluid and natural, showing not the slightest bit of strain.

However, just as the three of them thought the crisis was resolved, a much more powerful aura suddenly descended. A desiccated corpse clad in armor was seen walking from the depths of the tomb chamber, each step causing the ground to tremble. This desiccated corpse was completely different from the previous ones; not only was its physique burly, but its entire body was shrouded in a layer of faint black Qi.

Most eye-catching was the armor on its chest, which, despite having endured who knows how many years, still shimmered with a cold light. Moreover, in Lin Xuan's perception, that armor seemed to contain some kind of special power.

"This is... an Ancient General?" Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes. From this desiccated corpse, he sensed a power far exceeding the ordinary. This kind of power was definitely not something an average martial artist could possess.

Xiao Qing did not say a word and struck directly. A streak of green light whistled out, striking the center of the desiccated corpse's chest. Unexpectedly, however, the desiccated corpse merely staggered, and did not shatter like the previous ones.

"A bit interesting." Lin Xuan chuckled. "It seems this general was indeed no ordinary person in his lifetime. However..." A strange look suddenly flashed in his eyes, "Have you noticed that its attacks are all aimed at us, but it seems to be deliberately avoiding a certain direction?"

Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai observed carefully and indeed discovered that although the desiccated corpse's offensive was fierce, it was indeed subconsciously protecting a corner of the tomb chamber.

Lin Xuan walked quickly toward that direction and soon discovered an ancient tombstone. The tombstone was already quite dilapidated, but the writing on it was still clearly visible. As he read deeper, a tragic story gradually emerged before his eyes.

It turned out that buried here was an Ancient General named Xiao Lie. He was not only a fierce general who had conquered the battlefield, but also a powerful Outsider. During one of his campaigns, he met the apple of the eye of the Master of the Southern Wilderness—Nangong Yao.

The two fell in love at first sight, but due to their status and position, they could never be together. To protect his beloved, Xiao Lie specifically sought out master craftsmen and spent three years of heart's blood forging a suit of armor, intending to gift it to Nangong Yao.

However, heaven did not grant his wish; just as the armor was nearing completion, the northern alien tribes suddenly invaded. Xiao Lie was entrusted with a critical mission and led his army to war. In that tragic battle, although he successfully repelled the enemy, he was also severely wounded as a result.

Even more heartbreaking was that during his recovery, a sudden coup occurred in the Southern Wilderness. To protect her people, Nangong Yao was forced to drink poisoned wine. When Xiao Lie heard the news and arrived, he only managed to see his beloved one last time.

Overcome with grief, Xiao Lie buried that armor in Nangong Yao's mausoleum during her funeral. Yet for some reason, this armor later appeared here. And Xiao Lie himself, after experiencing countless battles, chose to sleep forever in this place.

"So that's how it is." Lin Xuan sighed and looked at the desiccated corpse still struggling to hold on, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes. "No wonder the obsession is so deep."

Just then, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Qing's eyes. She had already seen the weakness of this desiccated corpse—the black Qi condensed on its chest was not a defense, but rather its most fatal flaw. That was exactly where Xiao Lie's fatal wound had been in his lifetime.

"Offense taken!" Xiao Qing gave a light shout, and as her fair hands flipped, a sharp streak of green light shot straight toward the desiccated corpse's chest like a sharp arrow. This strike condensed her lifelong cultivation, and visible ripples even appeared in the air. Even Lin Xuan, who was always well-informed, could not help but nod secretly at the exquisiteness of this strike.

The desiccated corpse seemed to sense the fatal threat as well, and the armor suddenly burst forth with eerie black light, attempting to block this lethal blow. However, it was too late; the green light pierced through the black radiance and accurately struck that trail of black Qi.

"Roar!" The desiccated corpse let out a roar of grief and indignation, the sound actually carrying a hint of relief. The black Qi instantly dissipated, the armor cracked, and the desiccated corpse that had stood for a thousand years finally could not hold on, crumbling into a pile of withered bones scattered on the ground.

Yet just as everyone thought the matter had come to an end, a bone-chilling coldness suddenly swept through the entire tomb chamber. A layer of thin frost condensed on the bronze vessels, and the murals on the walls seemed to come alive, the war scenes depicted on them becoming increasingly bloody.

"Something's wrong!" Lin Xuan's expression changed. He sensed an unprecedented resentment, a power condensed from thousands of years of unwillingness and obsession.

Countless strands of pitch-black resentful Qi were seen surging out from every corner of the tomb chamber, wriggling like living creatures, and finally condensing into a ferocious humanoid shape in mid-air. The figure was ethereal, at times a general clad in armor, at times a princess in brocade robes, finally transforming into a black shadow filled with venomous resentment.

"My love and hate, heaven and earth can bear witness!" The black shadow let out a shrill roar, the sound containing endless resentment and unwillingness. "Since we had no fate in life, then let us be eternal in death!"

The cold, gloomy aura instantly shrouded the entire tomb chamber; wherever it passed, even the stone walls became covered in thick frost. Lin Xuan could feel that this was no longer an ordinary Resentful Spirit, but a terrifying existence condensed from the resentment and grievances of countless souls.

"Be careful!" Lin Xuan warned sharply, while simultaneously unleashing several Talismans. However, those Talismans were corroded to nothing the moment they touched the resentful Qi; clearly, this resentment had reached a truly terrifying degree.

Just at this critical moment, Xiao Bai suddenly stepped forward, her Dharma Artifact blooming with dazzling light. Her voice was clear and firm: "Mere resentment, and you dare to be presumptuous!"

A beam of pure light shot out from her hand, piercing into the center of that mass of resentful Qi like a sharp sword. The resentment let out a shrill scream and began to dissipate rapidly. Xiao Bai's Dharma Artifact seemed specifically designed to restrain such dark, evil things, easily purifying it.

"Finally resolved." Xiao Qing breathed a sigh of relief and was about to say something when she suddenly heard a burst of noisy footsteps and voices coming from outside.

"It's right here!" "Quick, seal off the scene!" "Someone reported seeing suspicious individuals entering the ancient tomb!"

Lin Xuan frowned, quickly realizing what was going on. Sure enough, not long after, a group of fully armed police officers rushed in, the beams of their flashlights illuminating the tomb chamber as bright as day.

"Don't move! Hands up!" the lead officer shouted sternly. "You are suspected of tomb raiding; come back to the station with us for investigation!"

Although the three of them could easily escape, doing so would only cause bigger trouble. Besides, they had a clear conscience, so they cooperated and followed the police back to the station.