Volume 3, Chapter 214 – Disaster Strikes, the Cursed Land Erupts (Part 3)

The sinisterly handsome youth lightly tapped his foot, his slender figure leaping up before landing soundlessly atop the highest point of the tomb gate. His crimson eyes gazed into the distance, where a certain village came into view.

“Water can carry a boat but also overturn it. When the Great Qi Kingdom was founded, your ancestors contributed greatly. When the Great Qi Kingdom fell, your ancestors were equally culpable. Merit and fault cancel each other out—we owe each other nothing. Since you are now subjects of another dynasty, whether you live or die shall be left to fate.”

“Your Highness is most benevolent. We are in awe!”

The Silver Zombie General flattered.

“General Li, in the cultivation world, is Huangtian County still under the rule of the Honghua Sect?”

The sinister youth lowered his head to inquire.

“Yes, that much has not changed. After all, no one in this world has yet been able to challenge the Immortal Alliance.”

The Silver Corpse General replied.

“Then let me be the first!”

The sinister youth smirked arrogantly before asking again, “What is the current strength of the Honghua Sect?”

“There are signs of resurgence. Among them, a peerless genius has emerged—a girl who reached the Incarnation Realm at the age of sixteen. She is hailed as the greatest talent the Honghua Sect has ever seen, past or present.”

The Silver Corpse General introduced.

“Oh? That cultivation speed is almost comparable to this prince’s martial training in the past. Is this person male or female?”

The sinister youth seemed slightly surprised.

“A girl! And…”

The Silver Corpse General paused before adding, “A stunning beauty at that. Alongside the Holy Maiden of Shuiyu Valley, she is known as one of the Twin Moons of the Western Radiance Dynasty.”

“Is that so? Wonderful. This prince has always had a fondness for peerless beauties. After all these years, my consorts must be long gone. She would make a fine replacement.”

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The sinister youth grinned wickedly.

“But she is a cultivator—and a living one at that. Her status is… incompatible with Your Highness.”

The Silver Corpse General cautiously reminded.

“Isn’t that easy to solve? Just turn her into a corpse!”

The sinister youth raised a brow slightly before commanding, “General Li, this task falls to you. Within three days, I want to see her body. Can you manage that?”

“Your Highness need not worry!”

The Silver Corpse General accepted the order.

“Your Highness, might I accompany General Li?”

At that moment, a tall young man stepped forward. Though his face was bloodless and his eyes crimson, his hair was meticulously tied, and he carried a longsword on his back. Dressed in a pristine robe, he exuded an incongruous aura.

“Who are you?”

The sinister youth asked curiously. Since the other’s silvered skin marked him as another Silver Zombie, he did not look down on him.

“Reporting to Your Highness, this lowly one is Wang Kai—the Honghua Sect’s greatest genius six hundred years ago. At thirty, I reached the Incarnation Realm. Back then, they said my talent was unprecedented and would never be surpassed.”

The sword-bearing youth introduced himself.

“Since you were of the Honghua Sect, why volunteer?”

The sinister youth frowned slightly. “Give me a reasonable explanation, or I’ll have no choice but to suspect ulterior motives—say, acting as a spy.”

“Your Highness, I was indeed of the Honghua Sect—but that was in the past. Now, I am but a zombie. As the saying goes, the living and dead belong to separate worlds. My path can never align with theirs again. The reason I wish to go is simple: I want to see if this so-called ‘greatest genius’ truly lives up to the title. If she wants to take my place, she must first earn my approval!”

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Wang Kai replied impassively, his aura restrained yet his gaze sharp—like a sheathed weapon of immense lethality.

“Good. I admire ambition. Permission granted!”

The sinister youth’s face revealed appreciation.

“Your Highness, there’s also me! I was the Honghua Sect’s greatest genius four hundred years ago, breaking through to the Incarnation Realm at twenty-eight. I, too, was hailed as the greatest in the sect’s history. I also wish to see if this girl is truly worthy!”

“Your Highness, this lowly woman was the Honghua Sect’s most beautiful two hundred years ago, with looks unmatched before or since! I, too, wish to see just how pretty this girl is. If she wants to steal my title, she’ll have to contend with this face first!”

One after another, several men and women stepped forward to volunteer. Most had reached the level of Silver Zombies, Silver Skeletons, or Malignant Ghosts.

“I’d heard Huangtian County was a backwater, devoid of talent. How did so many experts like you emerge in the past?”

The sinister youth couldn’t help but ask in confusion.

“Reporting to Your Highness, none of us are natives of Huangtian County. The sect’s higher-ups spent great resources to recruit us.”

“Indeed. The locals here are all buck-toothed, stunted midgets. How could people like us ever come from such stock?”

The deceased geniuses of the Honghua Sect explained.

“I see! Very well, all who wish to go may do so—just bring me that girl’s corpse!”

The sinister youth waved his hand dismissively.

Elder Zhou and the others, with their profound cultivation, returned to the Huxiao Sect in just a few hours to report to Sect Master Guo.

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“What? There’s an imperial tomb in that mass burial ground?”

Guo Chao couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yes, an imperial tomb—and one of immense scale, nearly the size of a small town.”

Elder Zhou confirmed.

“How could there be an imperial tomb in a mass burial ground? If there was, why call it a mass burial ground at all?”

Guo Chao was baffled. After a moment, he tentatively asked, “Did any of you manage to read the epitaph on the tomb?”

“No, the evil presence awakened too quickly. We had no time to investigate in detail!”

“I tried, but the place was teeming with wandering spirits. The air was thick with obstructing divine senses—impossible to see clearly.”

“I’ve never heard of any imperial family members perishing there. Probably just some ignorant ghosts playing pretend.”

The elders voiced their opinions.

“Never mind. Whoever it is, as long as they’ve awakened, it’s fine!”

After brief consideration, Guo Chao dismissed the matter.

“Sect Master, I still think you should inform Elder Cai of the Immortal Alliance as soon as possible. The owner of that tomb radiates overwhelming malice—this won’t be simple.”

Elder Zhou suddenly spoke up.

“What’s there to fear? Like I said—no matter how strong it is, can it possibly surpass the Immortal Alliance? If the Honghua Sect isn’t worried, why should we be?”

Guo Chao wore a relaxed expression before ordering, “Elder Zhou, I need you to make another trip to the Honghua Sect. Convey my… goodwill. If Cheng Hongling is willing to crawl here, kowtow, and beg me to take her as a disciple, we’ll put in a good word for them with the Immortal Alliance. Otherwise, the entire population of Huangtian County will pay the price for her arrogance with their lives.”

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Meanwhile, Qi Huang was racking her brains over cat food. Stuck in the Honghua Sect, even the most common wraiths were hard to come by, let alone Malignant Ghosts.

Just as Yao Yao was about to kill her to feed the cats, Sect Master Qin suddenly sent someone to summon her and her main body to the great hall for a meeting.

“Hear that? I’ve been summoned to a meeting. Even if you want to kill me, you can’t do it in front of so many people—too bloody! It’d be terrible for everyone’s mental health!”

Qi Huang rambled nonsense as she went to find her main body.

“That’s fine. Just kill them all too.”

Yao Yao suggested.

“Kill them all? Then my resentment would surely surpass yours. Aren’t you afraid I’d become an even worse fiend than you?”

Qi Huang kindly reminded.

Yao Yao was instantly speechless. That… was a real possibility, given Qi Huang’s already formidable soul.

After a long silence, Yao Yao decided against taking the risk and reluctantly spared Qi Huang’s life.

Qi Huang soon found her main body, and the two arrived at the great hall together. By then, all the sect’s higher-ups had gathered—even low-level managers like the stewards were present, indicating the gravity of the situation.

“I bring unfortunate news: the cursed land in Meng County has fully erupted.”

Sect Master Qin took a deep breath before speaking gravely.