Free Web NovelChapter 162: Chapter 161: Trading with the Dead (Part 1)
Chapter 161: Trading with the Dead (Part 1)
The moment Li Qiye’s group set foot in the Ancient Sky Corpse Land, powerful cultivators like Li Shuangyan and Shi Gandang instantly felt it—from the jungles, the caves, and even from beneath the ground, pairs of eyes snapped open as corpses emerged one after another.
The sudden appearance of Earth Corpses made the junior disciples’ blood run cold, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG— However, at this moment, Li Qiye struck the Small Copper Gong with the Copper Hammer in his hand. The sound of the gong rang out in a mysterious rhythm.
"The heavens are vast, the earth is wide. Let roads be roads, and bridges be bridges. The Celestial Ancient Earth Envoy has come to trade. Be you god or be you ghost, Earth Corpses retreat three temples hence..." Li Qiye raised his voice and began to chant in rhythm with the gong.
The sound of the Copper Gong and his chanting mixed together in a mysterious rhythm, creating an indescribable canticle.
Amidst the sounds of the gong and the chanting, the atmosphere grew even more terrifying. It was like listening to someone herding corpses through the darkness, a sound that made one’s skin crawl!
But, strangely enough, as the gong and the chant rang out, the emergent Earth Corpses began to slowly retreat like phantoms, hiding themselves in the jungle, in the caves, and back beneath the ground...
Seeing this scene, Nan Huairun and the others found it unbelievable. It was only then that they finally understood why Li Qiye had wanted that box of tattered clothes!
"The heavens are vast, the earth is wide. Let roads be roads, and bridges be bridges. The Celestial Ancient Earth Envoy has come to trade. Be you god or be you ghost, Earth Corpses retreat three temples hence..." As Li Qiye continued to strike the Copper Gong and chant, they advanced deeper into the Ancient Sky Corpse Land.
The landscape was one of rolling mountains and rushing rivers. Despite its beauty, it was the burial ground for countless cultivators, including many great figures and even those of the Invincible Generation.
As they ventured deeper into the Ancient Sky Corpse Land, wisps of Corpse Qi began to rise from the earth and gather around Li Qiye’s group.
Seeing the wisps of Corpse Qi gathering towards them, a chill ran down the spines of Nan Huairun and the other juniors. If that Corpse Qi were to enter their bodies, it would be no laughing matter. A light case would damage their Dao Practice; a severe one would turn them into an Earth Corpse.
At that moment, the long box on Li Qiye’s back began to pulse with a faint light. Wisps of a medicinal fragrance slowly emerged from it—an indescribable scent, three parts acrid and seven parts musk. It lingered around them, enveloping the entire group.
Strangely, as long as this medicinal fragrance swirled around them, the Corpse Qi was unable to draw near.
The deeper they went into the Ancient Sky Corpse Land, the denser the Corpse Qi became. It was even thicker in areas with more Earth Corpses! However, it was still unable to penetrate the medicinal fragrance protecting Li Qiye’s group, allowing them to proceed safely.
Li Qiye’s group traveled at a moderate pace, neither fast nor slow, climbing mountains and crossing rivers. Along the way, they saw countless Earth Corpses—some had been cultivators from the Human Race, others from the Demon Race, and there were even Ghost Immortals and Celestial Demons... Moreover, all of these cultivators who had become Earth Corpses possessed formidable Dao Practice in life!
Despite this, as Li Qiye continued to chant and strike the Copper Gong, the many Earth Corpses they encountered merely glanced at them from a distance upon noticing their arrival. None of them attacked; they simply lay back down in their original spots.
Along the path, Nan Huairun and the others spotted numerous coffins: Copper Coffins, Wooden Coffins, Mud Coffins, Stone Coffins, Golden Coffins, and even Divine Wood Coffins... These coffins were placed in all sorts of locations—some hung from cliffs, some floated on water, some were submerged in deep pools, and others were sealed within giant trees...
The sight of these coffins, some old and some new, sent a chill down the spines of Nan Huairun and the other juniors. The name Ancient Sky Corpse Land was truly fitting; an incredible number of cultivators were buried here!
Nan Huairun and the others were also intensely curious. They desperately wanted to know if Earth Corpses lay within those coffins, but without Li Qiye’s permission, they dared not act recklessly.
In fact, Nan Huairun and the others were also puzzled. Why could their First Brother clear a path simply by striking a Copper Gong and chanting an incomprehensible Ancient Curse, and why did it cause all the Earth Corpses to refrain from attacking?
After crossing an unknown number of mountains and rivers, Li Qiye finally stopped in a flat valley. The valley floor was laid out in neat, orderly ridges, like an abandoned field. If this weren’t the Ancient Sky Corpse Land, one might truly believe it had once been farmland.
"We’ll choose this one for the first Treasure Lord." Standing in the valley, Li Qiye sized up the area before making his decision.
At this time, many Earth Corpses were wandering just outside the valley. Their eyes glowed with a ghastly light—a look that was both like the eyes of the dead and the venomous glare of a vicious ghost. It was a terrifying sight.
Standing in the valley, the juniors couldn’t help but feel their skin crawl. Shi Gandang and the other seniors were handling it better, but in the minds of the younger disciples, "Treasure Lord" was basically synonymous with "Demon Lord." They imagined a horned creature, a hundred zhang tall, covered in matted green fur.
"First, a bow to the manor. Second, a salute to the Treasure Lord. Third, an inquiry of trade. The Celestial Ancient Earth Envoy, bearing Celestial Ancient Medicine and carrying the Dark Yin Qi, enters the Treasure Mountain, treads the yin land, and knocks upon the Underworld..." Li Qiye chanted this as he circled the valley, striking his Copper Gong.
Li Qiye circled to the left three times, then to the right three times, before finally stopping. He dripped a single drop of his fresh blood onto the ground and shouted, "A pact of blood, with no more than three chances! Let the respondent emerge from their coffin..." With this final shout, he performed a deep bow to the earth!
This ritual from Li Qiye sent a shiver not only down the spines of Nan Huairun and the juniors, but even Li Shuangyan and the others. This felt less like a trade and more like a banquet for ghosts.
However, what happened next was even more terrifying. RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE! A series of roars echoed as the ground seemed to split apart. In that instant, the earth beneath the entire valley lit up. Rays of brilliant light erupted and intertwined into a Grand Array. As the array activated, the unending hum of swords filled the air, and a boundlessly vast aura billowed out like a tidal wave!
BOOM! In that same instant, an Ancient Coffin slowly emerged from the ground. It was purple and exquisitely carved with dragons and phoenixes. It was impossible to tell how many long years it had endured.
The sight of the Ancient Coffin made everyone’s blood run cold. There was a dead person in there, but even more frighteningly, it was a dead person who wanted to live again!
"What trade do you propose?" an ancient voice finally echoed from within the Ancient Coffin.
Li Qiye sat cross-legged on the ground, took the Ancient Box from his back, and said leisurely, "In the Ancient Sky Corpse Land, the Celestial Ancient Earth Envoy trades only one thing: a box of Celestial Ancient Medicine carrying the Dark Yin Qi. The box is sealed; the medicine within is unknown. The Celestial Ancient principle is that there are no more than three chances, first come, first served."
CREAK—CREAK—CREAK— At last, the purple Ancient Coffin slowly opened, and the person lying inside stepped out.
Only then did everyone get a clear look. The figure who stepped out of the Ancient Coffin was an old Daoist, ancient beyond belief. He wore a Purple Gold Ancient Crown, held a Phoenix Tail Feather Duster, and was shod in Immortal Cloud Treasure Boots. On his chest was an embroidered Daoist Badge.
Although the old Daoist’s eyes were closed and his Blood Qi was nearly nonexistent, the boundless, unending aura he exuded made everyone’s heart tremble. This Daoist had surely been an absolute powerhouse in life!
"The Observatory Lord of the Purple Mist Temple—" Seeing the Daoist Badge on the old man’s chest, Nan Huairun couldn’t help but cry out.
The moment Nan Huairun spoke, the old Daoist’s eyes snapped open. Two rays of blood-red light shot out like Divine Arrows, aiming straight for Nan Huairun.
"Not good—" Niu Fen’s expression changed drastically. He instantly swung the small shell from his back to intercept. DONG! With a massive bang, the two bloody rays slammed into the shell, exploding like a clap of thunder. Niu Fen was sent flying by the force, while Nan Huairun was thrown back by the shockwave alone, violently coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Such terrifying power sent a chill through everyone. Niu Fen was considered an unfathomable expert among them; only Li Qiye knew his true strength. Yet now, he had been sent flying by just two beams from the old Daoist’s eyes. It was hard to imagine just how dreadful this old Daoist was.
CLANG— Just as the old Daoist was about to open his eyes a second time, Li Qiye struck the Copper Gong hard. The resulting sound wave rolled towards the old Daoist like a monstrous, crashing tidal wave!
As the sound wave crashed into him, the old Daoist’s body shuddered, and he was forced to stumble back several steps. DUM, DUM, DUM!
"The junior was ignorant and spoke out of turn. It won’t happen again," Li Qiye said, his expression solemn. "If your esteemed house wishes to trade, then let us sit. If not, I will leave. I trust there are many others in this Ancient Sky Corpse Land who would be willing to make a deal."
In the end, the old Daoist sat down, his eyes remaining closed. Even seated, he kept them shut, almost as if he had fallen asleep.
Having gotten back to his feet, Nan Huairun didn’t dare utter another syllable. He desperately wanted to thank Niu Fen, but he kept his mouth shut. The other juniors were the same, their lips sealed, hardly daring to breathe.
"Show medicine," the old Daoist uttered, speaking just two words after sitting down.
Only then did Li Qiye undo the seal on the Treasure Box. The seal on the Treasure Box was very strange. It couldn’t be opened with a Cultivation Technique Spell, nor could it be forced open with brute strength. Instead, Li Qiye formed a very peculiar Hand Seal, and the Treasure Box slowly opened.
Standing near Li Qiye, Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao could finally see inside. The Treasure Box contained nine items, each one unique. Moreover, Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao could not identify a single one; they had no idea what they were looking at.
After carefully examining the contents of the Treasure Box, Li Qiye finally selected an item the size of an apricot pit. He placed it gently on the ground and said calmly, "One Celestial Ancient Corpse Core. It was formed by a Hidden Dragon and has existed in the Celestial Ancient realm for eighty thousand years. It can probably extend your Lifespan by just over ten days."
A small Chapter burst today, five Chapters in total. I know a ten-Chapter burst is more satisfying to read, but I can’t keep that up indefinitely, you know?
A good book requires patience, and I believe you all have that.
In the last three days, I’ve released a total of thirty Chapters. For a book at this stage, that’s quite rare.
Whether I had them stockpiled or not, for an author, every single word and every single Chapter is typed out with real effort. And every plot point is something that gets me, the author, super excited too, right?
There will be more ten-Chapter bursts in the future, so please, support Xiao Sheng with your monthly tickets! Let’s be like volcanic magma, fiery and full of energy, as we wait for the next ten-Chapter explosion to arrive!!!!! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
