Free Web NovelChapter 854: Chapter 626: Found It
After 24 steps, Yang Xiao paused again in front of the screen, this time to the left.
Placing his only chance here was by no means a blind decision; they had discussed beforehand that the entire layout of Sleeping Gold Pavilion subsidiary was like a tomb, and this room was akin to the main burial chamber where the tomb’s owner rested eternally.
The position he stood in now was at the southeastern corner of this "tomb chamber." There was an ancient adage: "Do not touch the gold when the cocks crow and the lamps go out," and the candle that determined whether they would leave empty-handed was positioned here, in the southeast direction, representing the wind gate in the Eight Diagrams, or the Xun Trigram, the place where the flow of vitality was strongest. Creatures like the Ancestor, born from the refinement of the world’s essence, were all the more adept at this.
With bated breath and focused spirit, Yang Xiao scattered the bone ash in his hand. Success or failure hinged on this moment!
The next second, the bone ash that should have been blocked by the walls floated inward in an inexplicable manner. The light and shadows before him shifted, as if an invisible force was pulling him back.
No, that wasn’t right—not pulling him back but eerily stretching the space in front of him. Behind the dilapidated bathtub lay a concealed space, standing about 2 meters in front of Yang Xiao was a rigid figure. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Found it!!
The thrill of finding the Ancestor was swiftly extinguished by its terrifying appearance. Yang Xiao had never even dreamt of such a horrifying face: the skull malformed, dual horns protruding from the forehead, cheeks, and any exposed skin covered in dark gold scales, with a slightly open mouth... No, Yang Xiao doubted it could fully close, inside were chaotically arranged, thorn-like, sharp teeth. If not for the somewhat "human-like" shape of its body, Yang Xiao would have thought it some unknown deep-sea creature.
What instilled the most fear in Yang Xiao were its vertical pupils, akin to a snake’s eyes, which emitted a fierce dark gold luster in the dim environment.
To hold a gaze with these eyes required extreme mental fortitude and endurance. Merely one glance made Yang Xiao’s mind feel like it was struck heavily, his knees weakened as he almost knelt, ready to bow his head and proclaim "Longevity."
In the final moment, however, Yang Xiao resisted with all his might, stabbing the burning end of the Life Incense into the back of his hand. The severe pain snapped him back to alertness. He knew that if he kneeled, the effort of his comrades preceding him would have been in vain.
As Yang Xiao came back to his senses and looked again at the creature fostered by the Earl Mansion for a century, built up by the destiny and lives of countless people, the creature had already closed its eyes. Its thick eyelids were full of wrinkles, like those of a cold-blooded lizard.
At the same time, the Yin and evil aura in the room also thinned significantly, and Yang Xiao stumbled backward. Having made it this far, his energy and physical strength were greatly depleted, but now that the crisis was over, he realized he was somewhat spent.
"Whew—"
"Whew—"
Leaning against the door, Yang Xiao panted heavily. With the Ancestor already discovered, the rest was up to Fengchen.
At that moment, the flame in the lantern he was holding flickered a few times before finally extinguishing. Some of the Life Incense was still left; it lasted longer than Yang Xiao had anticipated.
As the flame went out, the room was once more engulfed in darkness, but not the complete absence of light. A faint, weak glimmer remained. Yang Xiao searched around but couldn’t find the source of this light—all these rooms had no windows.
From Yang Xiao’s perspective, the area where the Ancestor stood was a blur of darkness, everything nearby melded into one with the dark. Suddenly, Yang Xiao had a feeling he suspected the Ancestor had silently left its original spot and was now lurking in the surrounding shadows.
Once a scriptwriter, Yang Xiao had an exceptional imagination. He had already conjured several possible hiding spots for the Ancestor—behind the screen, under the desk, even on the ceiling, or possibly already circling behind him.
Shaking his head vigorously, he dispelled these unrealistic thoughts. Thinking like this would scare himself sooner or later. Still, to ensure safety, Yang Xiao closed the door, locking himself and the Ancestor in the same room.
Feeling that the room no longer bore that chilling and eerie coldness, Yang Xiao relaxed slightly and decided to wait here.
Soon after, sitting on the ground, Yang Xiao heard a rustling sound, as if someone was cautiously climbing the stairs.
Turning to open the door, Yang Xiao immediately saw light in the direction of the stairs, "Mr. Xiang, is that you?" he inquired.
Unexpectedly, the next second, the light dimmed considerably as if intentionally blocked by someone, and the sound of steps on the stairs also disappeared.
"Evil Mage, settle your grudges with the Director outside, but don’t even think of making me your apprentice. Jiang Qingluan is a good girl, but it’s a pity we’re not suitable," Yang Xiao revealed a lot of information in one sentence.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the footsteps from below the stairs climbed up again, the newcomer naturally being Fengchen, with a lantern in one hand and incense in the other.
His eyes filled with surprise upon seeing Yang Xiao.
"Heh, cautious enough. You lit the incense as soon as you came in. Let’s not waste time. I’ve dealt with the Ancestor, now it’s up to you," Yang Xiao didn’t expect Fengchen to be so concerned for his life, lighting the incense for protection without even encountering anything strange—that was three years of life span.
But all of that didn’t matter anymore. Yang Xiao brought him to the study to witness the appearance of the Ancestor firsthand.
Even the well-informed Fengchen couldn’t help but draw a cold breath at the sight of such a creature. The Ancestor’s garments were of royal standard, and the golden dragons embroidered on the robe glittered under the light.
