As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere at the stone table stiffened. Those seated exchanged glances, sharing a look of unspoken understanding.
“There is no need for the Dragon Prince to be impatient. It is said that the best things are yet to come. Since the host invited us here, they surely have a plan.”
Clad in brocade robes and radiating wealth, Auntie Wanbao spoke with a smile, her voice as melodious as an oriole’s, her hair piled high in an elegant bun:
“Besides, over the years, it’s always been the same old songs and tunes; it gets tiresome. Changing the pace occasionally for some entertainment isn't a bad thing.”
“Fellow Daoist Wanbao certainly has a good temperament.”
The Dragon Prince let out a huff and crossed his arms, refusing to say more. Standing behind him were several shrimp soldiers and crab generals, creatures that were half-human and half-demon.
The stone table was laden with rare delicacies and exquisite wines. There were golden phoenix-eye loquats, bright red mountain pear lilies, and even plump Polygonatum ginseng and spiritual grass tips—all of which were rarely seen in the outside world.
Night-luminescent pearls lit the grotto, and folding screens served as walls. In a half-person-tall vase, a wisteria plant grew lush and vibrant.
The individuals seated at this table were naturally figures of status, immortals and demons with names known to many.
The River God and the Well God sat side by side, their expressions somewhat grave.
Old Man Hu sat cheerfully cradling a small fox, feigning deafness and muteness. His long white eyebrows were so long they nearly reached the floor.
A man draped in a robe with totems painted on his face remained silent, his eyes fixed on the figure sitting in the shadows.
——If Nan Zhi were here, she would surely recognize him as the man who had wanted to trade his slaves for her white tiger skin.
“Indeed, it has been many years since Ruyi Pavilion has been this lively.”
In the shadows, the speaker had a smooth, handsome bald head. However, at this moment, his kind eyes were filled with a cold indifference, as if he possessed no human warmth.
Lurking in the darkness, he observed the world with a sharp gaze and a half-smile.
“Dragon Prince, do not be in such a hurry. I wonder if everyone has made up their minds regarding the matter I mentioned earlier?”
“If I didn't know you were looking for someone to open this Witch Coffin, why would this Prince lower himself to come to this dilapidated place of yours?
With the changes occurring between heaven and earth, everyone knows to secure a path of retreat for themselves. It is merely a bit of flesh and blood from living beings; as long as it is hidden well, who will know it was our doing?”
The Dragon Prince had a hasty temper, and hearing this made him even more impatient. He pointed at the coffin hanging in the center of the grotto and said:
“Great Monk Huiyuan, stop being so wordy. Those who achieve great things do not fear trivial consequences. Rest assured, our fellow Daoists present today likely share the same thoughts as this King.”
“Opening this Witch Coffin might yield opportunities, but using the living beings of Yin Yang Road as a sacrifice is truly appalling.”
The River God and the Well God hesitated for a long while, but in the end, they could not bear it.
“My wife and I are moved by the opportunities within the coffin, but we are, after all, enfeoffed gods of the Heavenly Court. On second thought, this action is still somewhat inappropriate.
Perhaps we should consider it more carefully and discuss a more peaceful method to open this Witch Coffin.”
“Heh heh heh.”
Old Man Hu merely laughed, his drooping long eyebrows twitching. When he spoke, his voice was full of sarcasm:
“Wait longer? You two are incense gods; as long as the river doesn't dry up and the well doesn't run empty, you have a way to survive. Naturally, you can afford to wait.
I am now one thousand, three hundred and twenty-three years old. My lifespan is nearing its end; I can wait no longer!
That Witch Coffin is an ancient relic that drifted into Yin Yang Road a thousand years ago and only fell into the hands of Ruyi Pavilion by chance several centuries ago. This is the will of heaven.
We cultivators should follow heaven’s will. If we cast aside such a monumental opportunity, would we not be as foolish as mortals?
If you two are unwilling, then leave quickly. It will save us from having to share our great fortune with you.”
The others did not speak, but their faces showed agreement.
“We only knew that Fellow Daoist Huiyuan needed help to open the coffin, but we did not know that opening it required sacrificing the souls of Yin Yang Road’s inhabitants when the Ghost Gate opens...”
The River God started to speak but stopped, unable to find the words. Instead, the Well God beside him looked worried and pressed her lips together, advising:
“Using human souls as a sacrifice is ultimately a profane and evil sacrifice. If the Heavenly Court finds out, I fear none of us will meet a good end. Please, fellow Daoists, think twice.”
“Cowardice achieves nothing great.”
The Dragon Prince sneered, then revealed a shocking secret:
“Hah, the Heavenly Court? Do you know how long it has been since the Heavenly Court sent anyone to inspect the lower realm, not since that female Emperor performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai during the Shenlong era?
As long as the Underworld doesn't find out, we can hide the treasures for a thousand years. Who will know later?”
The River God and the Well God remained firm.
In truth, a few days ago, Ruyi Pavilion had released news that they were going to sell their ultimate treasure. Only then did the couple gladly attend the feast.
That treasure was the Witch Coffin, locked by one thousand, two hundred and eighteen heavy iron chains.
——In ancient times, there were the Witch and Demon races. After the Great War of Witches and Demons, the Witch race declined rapidly and suffered heavenly punishment. Fortunately, they relied on the Witch saint, Empress Houtu, who transformed into the Six Paths of Reincarnation to preserve their remaining bloodline.
The Witch race was born from the essence blood of Pangu and possessed an innate ability to communicate with heaven and earth, as well as divine spirits. The Witch Coffin was the place where a Great Witch would seal their own remains after death.
No one knew how such a heavy treasure had ended up in Yin Yang Road, but they all understood that there must be a great providence within the Witch Coffin.
The River God and the Well God naturally wanted to vie for it as well.
However, the Witch Coffin was sealed. To take the treasure, they had to wait for the Underworld's Ghost Gate to open, sacrifice the flesh and souls of the living on Yin Yang Road, and use the power of Yin energy to break the seal.
...
...
“No, this matter is of great importance. Allow us to think on it further.”
At this point, the Well God found it even harder to bear. Exchanging a look with the River God, she prepared to ride a cloud and depart.
Crack.
Unexpectedly, in the next moment, a long spear pierced through the Well God’s chest. The Dragon Prince’s gaze was sinister as he smiled coldly:
“Leave? Do you think you can still leave? To let you two go back and report to the Demon Suppression Division and the Underworld? To cast aside a heavenly opportunity just to do something stupid—you are truly beyond foolish!”
“My wife! You... how can you do this? Do you not fear heavenly retribution?!”
The River God’s eyes nearly split from rage. He only had time to cradle the Well God’s body and wail in grief, but before he could even attempt to save her, he was firmly pinned in place by three fox tails!
A golden-glittering sachet smashed down, rendering the River God unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as a strange scimitar carved out his heart and liver—
However, his soul drifted toward the sky, swaying as it ascended.
Although the River God and the Well God held minor positions as the deities of a small river and well under the Bian Canal, they were still enfeoffed gods registered with the Heavenly Court. After death, they would naturally not enter the Underworld.
“Amitabha.”
Huiyuan chanted a Buddhist prayer. The man with totems, who had not said a word since the beginning, suddenly widened his eyes. He reached out and snatched the two pale gold divine souls into his hand.
“!”
“...”
“!”
It was a technique of the Witch race!
So Huiyuan had been prepared all along!
The others were startled, but each had their own calculations and refused to leave.
A gust of wind blew, and the petals of the wisteria in the vase trembled slightly.
Huiyuan lowered his eyes and chanted, pretending not to notice.
“It is time. Open the coffin.”
The man with totems made a phantom swallowing motion, consuming the two divine souls. He glanced at Huiyuan and pulled twelve white bones from his robes.
“Flesh and blood sacrificed to serve the Witch Spirit.”
“Flesh and blood sacrificed to serve the Witch Spirit.”
“Flesh and blood sacrificed to serve the Witch Spirit.”
The servants standing behind him did not change their expressions as they drew daggers and cut off their own heads. Their headless bodies held their heads aloft, throwing them one by one toward the black coffin.
Those present witnessed this bloody scene with burning eyes, staring without blinking.
The man with totems stroked the twelve snow-white bones and spat out a mouthful of mud. The bones in his hand suddenly transformed into twelve seductive women.
These women each carried bone flutes and ran barefoot toward the coffin, playing a cheerful yet distant melody:
“Wooo—wooo—”
As the music played, the green candles on the iron chains in the grotto began to extinguish one by one. The chains started to rattle, the ground trembled, and a massive change occurred within the grotto:
Upon hearing this mournful music, a sinister red light rose in the eyes of every hungry ghost. Driven by a reckless ferocity, they actually formed a bridge with their bodies between the chains, charging straight toward the demons and ghosts in the surrounding grottoes!
The demons and ghosts who had been watching the spectacle were startled. They realized something was wrong, but the grottoes were narrow—where could they escape?
Many small ghosts let out a single scream before a hungry ghost bit off half their bodies. One head rolled on the ground a couple of times before screaming:
“Mother... if I’d known, I wouldn't have come to watch the show...”
Before it could finish, its head was crushed in a hungry ghost’s mouth, shattering into black mud with a crunch.
It was as if a switch had been flipped. The evil ghosts being driven by the pavilion guards swarmed upward like a rising tide. The demons and ghosts who couldn't escape in time became the hungry ghosts' food.
“Aaaaah! Help!”
“The hungry ghosts have gone mad! Run!!”
“Aaaaah, help me!!”
“Save me, save me! I don't want to die!”
The Ruyi Pavilion, which moments ago was filled with wine and joy, turned into a hellish demon cave in the blink of an eye. The scent of rouge and powder was masked by a thick, cloying stench of blood—
“These hungry ghosts have lost control?!”
A familiar chill crawled up her feet as a sinister, bone-piercing cold slowly seeped from the marrow of her bones.
Nan Zhi hadn't even had time to process the information Huaguzi had confessed when she witnessed this terrifying scene:
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The black coffin in the grotto shuddered. The green candles on the iron chains flickered out one after another. From far to near, it felt as if something invisible was approaching with the Yin wind!
There is something inside that coffin!
Nan Zhi retreated rapidly. Making a split-second decision, she slashed through an iron chain and carried Huaguzi down several yards, landing on a protruding rock ledge!
Above her were the flying goddesses playing bone flutes and laughing. Below her were thousands of hungry ghosts tearing into demons and ghosts.
One was exquisitely beautiful, the other utterly hideous.
【Ding!】
【Detected that the cultivator is about to enter the Level 89 dungeon “Witch Spirit Sacrifice.” Please leave as soon as possible.】
【Witch Spirit Sacrifice: The Witch Coffin possesses a spirit; flesh is sacrificed, and the soul becomes immortal.】
【Recommended cultivation realm: Golden Core Great Circle — Mid-stage Nascent Soul.】
【Cultivator “Nan Zhi” has entered the Witch Spirit Sacrifice dungeon. In this dungeon, reloading after death and exiting the game are disabled. The cultivator's resurrection effect is replaced with “resurrection on the spot.”】
How much?
How much did you say?!
Nan Zhi, who was barely Level 30 and had just reached the Qi Refinement Great Circle, couldn't help but widen her eyes.
Rate on N.U.
