“The monarch Mu Tianyou died many years ago.”
“He died on the path of protecting his people.”
“He died on the battlefield fighting the plague.”
“He died on the day he tried to save everyone.”
“The entire Jiao Mu Kingdom shared in the nation’s sorrow, and none were spared. But in the future, there will come a moment when the ten thousand spirits of Tianchi Province shall all wear smiles.”
Chen Zhou’s words seemed to quiet him down.
The fire burned brighter and brighter. Jiao Mu Jiao’s body began to disintegrate, his charred bones becoming visible one by one before they, too, were reduced to ash.
“Go in peace,” Chen Zhou said.
“I have come to Tianchi Province specifically to eradicate Wan Xiu with my own hands.”
“The tragedy of the Jiao Mu Kingdom will not be repeated in Tianchi Province again.”
“As for those false gods in Central Province... within a hundred years, I shall pay them a visit personally to settle the score.”
“Your regrets, your obsessions—you may entrust them all to me.”
Jiao Mu Jiao’s lips moved one last time.
Chen Zhou did not hear what he said, but looking at the shape of his mouth, it seemed like two words.
“Thank you.”
The flames flared up suddenly, swallowing the last of his remains.
The charred bones turned to ash, which drifted and settled on the ground, mixing with the mushroom ash. It was impossible to tell which was him and which were the glowing mushrooms.
From within the ashes, a cluster of green light emerged and flew into Chen Zhou’s hand.
【You have obtained a complete divinity — Despair】
At the same time, the withered wood giant tail on the stone door finally finished burning.
The text on the stone wall began to flicker, its ghostly blue light dimming and brightening irregularly. After a few breaths, the light went out completely.
The characters shattered, and the carvings on the stone wall cracked one after another. Rubble fell from the ceiling, and the ground began to vibrate.
The entire underground city was shaking as if it were about to collapse.
The death qi in Chen Zhou’s body was nearly exhausted; he couldn't even manifest his Ghost Domain.
He stepped onto the head of the Wing-Fire Snake and patted the bone snake’s skull.
“Let’s go.”
Wing-Fire Snake shot out instantly, its speed like a bolt of white lightning.
It threaded through the passages, transparent flames flowing through the gaps in its bones, illuminating the dark tunnels as bright as day.
Chen Zhou lay flat against its head, listening to the thunderous rumbling behind him. The entire underground city was caving in.
Rubble, soil, and dust were all cascading down.
The underground city beneath the Royal Capital of Tianchi Province, the last traces of the Jiao Mu Kingdom, was being buried in endless darkness at this very moment.
The moment Wing-Fire Snake burst out of the cave, the sunlight made Chen Zhou squint.
Outside, the sky was still a murky gray. A pale sun hung overhead, and the gray-green earth stretched out as far as the eye could see.
Wing-Fire Snake rushed out of the entrance and ran a good distance forward before finally coming to a stop.
Chen Zhou jumped down from its head and looked back.
The cave entrance was collapsing. Rubble and soil tumbled down, filling the opening bit by bit.
The thunderous sound grew quieter and more distant until it vanished completely.
In the darkness, those twinkling points of light could no longer be seen.
There were no more glowing mushrooms underground.
However, a single point of golden light was still flickering.
Chen Zhou narrowed his eyes and looked closely. The golden light looked like a blurry figure wearing vine armor with a long sword at his waist, standing amidst the collapsing ruins.
He looked up toward the cave entrance, toward the light.
Then, he bowed deeply.
The figure gradually dissipated, and the golden light went out.
In the darkness, nothing remained.
Chen Zhou sighed softly. “What a waste.”
Jiao Mu Jiao’s divine soul had been deeply refined and bound to the underground array.
Now that the array was destroyed, the soul had dissipated. Even if Jian Huaishuang were here, he probably wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Moreover, the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm still showed no signs of movement.
It was a true pity to waste such a fine talent.
Chen Zhou had seen Jiao Mu Jiao’s memories. When he was the monarch of the Jiao Mu Kingdom, he had governed the country very well.
Reclaiming wasteland, building water conservancy, keeping taxes light, and opening granaries for the people.
To be able to develop the Jiao Mu Kingdom from a small, peripheral power into the strongest force in Tianchi Province was truly remarkable.
Once he eradicated Wan Xiu and reclaimed Tianchi Province, he would need someone like that to help manage it.
Tianchi Province and Gloomlight Province were separated by a realm barrier, and it wasn't convenient for Hong Ling to manage both sides.
Since he couldn't recruit a new workhorse to slave away for him, was there a way to make Hong Ling learn to split herself and work two jobs alone?
Chen Zhou was deep in thought.
Just then, a system notification suddenly rang in his mind.
【Your Spirit of the Horn Constellation has been activated.】
Chen Zhou paused, then reached into his robes and pulled out the remaining jiao bone carving.
The gray-white surface of the bone carving was now tinged with a faint cyan-green luster.
It was like the first tender buds of spring sprouting from a withered tree trunk—soft and faint, yet carrying a stubborn vitality.
The glow emanated from within the bone carving, making the entire piece look as warm and moist as jade.
The rough patterns on the surface became clear, line by line, like the rings of a tree.
Chen Zhou turned it over a few times and held the bone carving in his palm, waiting for the system’s follow-up.
He waited for a while.
Then he waited a bit longer.
The system remained silent.
Chen Zhou frowned. “Why isn't it automatically fusing? Aren't you going to unlock a special Ghost Servant unit for me?”
The system finally responded, its tone carrying a rare hint of innocence.
【The choice to upgrade lies with the host. However, the host does not currently have sufficient summoning materials and does not meet the conditions to summon a new special unit.】
As if sensing Chen Zhou’s dissatisfaction, the system played dead for a moment before finally going through the motions.
【Special bone material, Spirit of the Horn Constellation, detected. This item can be used to upgrade your Bone Summoning skill.】
【Would you like to consume one Spirit of the Horn Constellation to upgrade your Bone Summoning skill?】
【Yes/No】
Chen Zhou: “...”
Chen Zhou: “Impressive.”
Before, it hadn't given him a choice at all, for fear he wouldn't improve his strength properly. Now, it was putting on quite an act.
After thinking it over, Chen Zhou selected 'No.'
It was exactly as the system said; his current bone material storage was insufficient.
Summoning Wing-Fire Snake had directly emptied more than half a year’s worth of inventory. The remaining bone material was hardly enough to get stuck between his teeth.
Furthermore, his death qi was nearly gone. Even if he upgraded the skill, he wouldn't be able to convert it into combat power immediately.
No matter how good an item was, it only counted as a treasure if its effects could be utilized.
However, such an important item for a summoning-type skill might not necessarily be restricted to his own use.
Chen Zhou thought of someone.
He put away the jiao bone carving and leaped onto the head of the Wing-Fire Snake.
“Let’s go. We can head back now.”
Wing-Fire Snake ran very fast, much faster than Chen Zhou had anticipated.
The hundred-foot-long bone snake threaded across the ground with the speed of a gale. Transparent flames flowed through its bones, leaving a scorched trail on the ground wherever it passed.
Chen Zhou sat on its head, feeling the wind rush past his face as the murky gray sky retreated rapidly overhead.
He no longer needed to drive the hundred corpse patchworks and stop frequently like he did on the way here.
Wing-Fire Snake proceeded at full speed. In less than half an hour, they reached the stone forest.
Rate on N.U.
