Elder Gao Feng frowned slightly. "Why would there be funerary objects?"
The Deacons beside the stone sarcophagus looked thoughtful.
"It really doesn't make sense," Guan Ya said, setting down the double-dragon jade pendant in her hand. "This is the demon-sealing ground of the Pure Yang Sect, and the one inside the coffin is a fiend guilty of heinous crimes. Why would there be funerary objects for him?"
Houde Zaiwu, a taciturn Deacon, pondered before speaking: "Since this is the Pure Yang Sect's demon-sealing ground, the funerary goods were naturally placed here by them."
Natsuki's Love countered, "Why would the Pure Yang Sect prepare funerary objects for a fiend?"
The group frowned and racked their brains for quite a while, unable to come up with an explanation. Just then, Zhang Yuanqing noticed that Jiang Jingwei had abruptly stopped waving her small banner, freezing stiffly in place.
Frowning, he was about to ask what was wrong when he heard Jiang Jingwei let out a soft sigh.
"Because they were a bunch of unfilial, treacherous disciples!"
Her voice was clear and youthful, yet her tone was weathered and decrepit, harboring the weight of ages past.
Everyone turned in unison to stare at Jiang Jingwei.
*Unfilial, treacherous disciples?* Zhang Yuanqing's heart seized. His expression shifted slightly, and he asked tentatively, "Who... are you?"
A terrifying guess flashed through his mind, but it seemed too bizarre to believe.
Guan Ya and the others dropped into defensive stances, their expressions exceedingly strange. Clearly, they had formed similar suspicions.
Only Elder Gao Feng remained impassive, his eyes merely narrowing.
"Who am I?"
Jiang Jingwei turned around. Ink-black darkness churned within her eye sockets, obscuring the whites and pupils entirely, presenting an eerily bizarre sight against her fair, delicate face.
She sighed. "I am merely a pitiful man who was suppressed and sealed away by treacherous disciples."
The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically. Even though they had vaguely guessed it, hearing it with their own ears still shocked them to the core.
*He is the fiend recorded on the stone stele—and he isn't dead yet?!*
Only Guan Ya, having already encountered the old crone—a revived ancient Day Wanderer—possessed the mental fortitude to handle it. She was surprised, but not completely stunned.
*It really is him. Just like the old crone, he 'slept' until the present day, but unlike her, he wasn't absorbed by the Spirit Realm to become an instance. But I read Jingwei's fortune, and she wasn't supposed to suffer any misfortune...* Zhang Yuanqing quietly set down the ancient manuals in his hands, his nerves taut.
He opened his Star Eyes once more and discreetly observed Jiang Jingwei's physiognomy.
Her face still appeared completely normal—neither shrouded in dark clouds nor touched by the calamity of bloodshed.
Elder Gao Feng scrutinized Jiang Jingwei. "Are you a senior elder of the Pure Yang Sect?"
The fiend inconspicuously glanced at Zhang Yuanqing before looking back at Elder Gao Feng with an appraising gaze. He asked in return, "Are you the Sect Master or an Elder of the Northern Xuanwu Sect, or are you one of the Five Seal Keepers of the Imperial Court's Five Elements Department?"
With that, he swept his eyes across the Saints present and smiled. "No need to be nervous. This seat harbors no malice. After enduring the seal for endless ages, I have subdued my inner demon and reclaimed myself. What dynasty and era is it now? Does the House of Zhao still rule the world?"
His expression was calm and his tone gentle, entirely devoid of the gloom and arrogance typical of evil practitioners.
Elder Gao Feng replied, "A thousand years have passed. This is an era where the people are masters of their own destiny. Imperial power was reduced to dust in the annals of history long ago. You still haven't answered my question."
A trace of daze surfaced in those ink-black eyes. After a few seconds, the ancient cultivator sighed.
"A thousand years pass in the snap of a finger..."
He looked toward Elder Gao Feng. "This seat is the Sect Master of the Pure Yang Sect."
Guan Ya knitted her brows. "I don't care whether you're a Sect Master or a fiend—get out of my companion's body right now, or we will take coercive measures."
"Heh..." The Pure Yang Sect Master chuckled softly. "A wisp of my remnant soul resided within the Flame Banner. It was her use of the dharma treasure that awakened my consciousness. This seat has merely borrowed her body to take a breath of fresh air. After clinging to life for a thousand years, my primordial spirit is exceedingly feeble. It will soon return to heaven and earth."
The crowd turned toward Elder Gao Feng.
Elder Gao Feng nodded slightly, seemingly acknowledging the Pure Yang Sect Master's state. He asked, "How did you come to be sealed here? Are the deeds recorded on the stele true?"
Seeing that the Elder was inquiring into ancient sect secrets, the Deacons fell quiet, pricking up their ears to listen.
The fiend turned to glance at the stone stele below and sneered. "Merely taken out of context.
"When I was plagued by my inner demon, I indeed committed many wrongs and killed countless innocents. But all of that was thanks to that vile disciple of mine. During the Northern Song, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth grew increasingly thin, making further progress impossible for countless cultivators. That vile disciple of mine was gifted with intelligence, but constrained by the grand trend of the world, she was unable to ascend to Golden Crow. To seek a breakthrough, her mind fell to darkness, and she devised a wicked scheme to deceive her master and destroy her ancestral roots."
"What scheme?!" Elder Gao Feng asked.
A flash of hatred surfaced in the Pure Yang Sect Master's eyes.
"Taking advantage of my secluded cultivation, she conspired with people of the demonic sects to trigger my inner demon through a secret art. Then, using the sacred treasure of the Pure Yang Sect, she seized my yang soul, attempting to replace me and ascend to Golden Crow through cannibalistic cultivation.
"Yet she underestimated this seat. Though I lost half of my yang soul, I still fought my way out of the encirclement. From then on, my mind fell into derangement, governed by the inner demon, bringing about a series of human catastrophes."
*Yet another cannibalistic technique for advancement...* Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced. The old crone had mentioned that from the Song to the Ming dynasty, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth withered away. To survive and break through, fellow disciples turned on each other. Even her own temple keeper had walked down that path of no return. *So 'Golden Crow' refers to a Day Wanderer...*
The Pure Yang Sect Master's account aligned with his understanding of ancient cultivation history.
The Pure Yang Sect Master continued, "Later on, she successfully refined this seat's yang soul, attained the rank of Golden Crow, and led the Pure Yang Sect to betray their master and destroy their lineage, sealing me away in this place. These funerary objects are nothing more than hypocritical posturing."
Deacon Yu had an epiphany. "No wonder the stele's records concerning you were so vague. So there was such a hidden truth behind it."
Several Deacons were mostly convinced, but Elder Gao Feng remained noncommittal. After pondering for a few seconds, he asked, "Then why didn't she kill you instead of sealing you here?"
The Pure Yang Sect Master snorted. "That is where that vile disciple's hypocrisy lies. How is sealing me for a thousand years any different from killing me? Yet she managed to preserve a virtuous reputation."
Elder Gao Feng asked, "Who was this vile disciple you speak of—the Song dynasty imperial princess recorded on the stele?"
He wanted to make further confirmation.
The Pure Yang Sect Master paused briefly, then smiled warmly. "That vile disciple of mine has likely exhausted her lifespan and passed away many years ago. If you wish to see, then I shall show her to you."
With that, he waved his left hand, which wasn't holding the Flame Banner, conjuring an illusion at his side.
It was a beauty clad in a plain palace gown, her exquisitely coiled hair pinned with a golden hairpin dangle. Her features were cold and exceptionally gorgeous, and a plum-blossom forehead ornament was affixed to her smooth brow.
*This... this...* Zhang Yuanqing couldn't control his expression, revealing obvious shock and bewilderment.
*The old crone!*
The young woman conjured by the Pure Yang Sect Master was unmistakably the old crone.
Of course, it was not the old crone of today, but the old crone in her youth. Amidst her chilly demeanor lay a touch of innocence and haughtiness. Judging by her looks, she couldn't have been older than twenty, still living through the youthful days of being a pretty little princess.
*The vile disciple the Pure Yang Sect Master spoke of is the old crone?*
*Did the old crone also use cannibalism back then to achieve the status of Day Wanderer?*
Surprise appeared on Guan Ya's face as well; she had seen the old crone in the killing trial.
*No, even though the old crone is aloof and difficult to get along with, she is definitely an orthodox deity. The disgust in her voice when she mentioned her disciple consuming people for cultivation couldn't have been faked. Besides, she had no reason to lie to me...*
Although he might not know the old crone thoroughly, compared to the unknown Pure Yang Sect Master, Zhang Yuanqing was far more willing to trust the old crone he had interacted with multiple times.
At this moment, the Pure Yang Sect Master smiled faintly. "Everyone, allow me to borrow this body for a short while longer. I wish to see the outside world and fulfill a long-cherished wish."
The Deacons couldn't help but look toward Elder Gao Feng, who pondered for a moment before saying, "You may, but you must remain within my sight."
The Pure Yang Sect Master nodded. "Agreed!"
Right then, Zhang Yuanqing called out urgently, "Elder, don't believe him! He's lying! Don't let him occupy Jingwei's body any longer!"
Yu, Natsuki's Love, and the others were startled, turning their gazes toward Yuanshi Tianzun, unable to fathom how he had deduced that the Pure Yang Sect Master was lying.
The Pure Yang Sect Master narrowed his eyes and sighed. "This seat has spoken nothing but the truth. Why do you refuse to believe me, young friend?"
Elder Gao Feng turned his head toward Yuanshi Tianzun. "Are you certain?"
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "I know that imperial princess. She is an upright person, not the kind who would commit the villainous act of betraying her master and destroying her sect. I don't know what this Pure Yang Sect Master is stalling for, but it's best not to fall for his trick."
The eyes of the surrounding Deacons shifted. Yuanshi Tianzun actually knew an ancient cultivator, and even recognized the stunning woman conjured by the illusion?
Elder Gao Feng was somewhat surprised as well. Having not watched the mid-year killing trial, he did not recognize Empress Sandao.
Without the slightest hesitation, he placed unconditional trust in the Five Elements Alliance's young genius. Reaching out, Elder Gao Feng manifested a black cloth streamer and struck it heavily against Jiang Jingwei's body.
A phantom was instantly ejected from Jiang Jingwei, drifting rapidly into the distance.
Jiang Jingwei collapsed face-first to the floor, unconscious.
Seeing this, Elder Gao Feng thrust his right palm upward with force. Amidst a rumbling boom, four earthen walls shot up along the perimeter of the raised platform, forming a square enclosure that trapped everyone on the platform inside.
The phantom collided with the earthen wall and was bounced back. The incorporeal spirit was surprisingly unable to penetrate the soil.
Only then did everyone clearly see the phantom's appearance: a young man draped in an ethereal Daoist robe, featuring handsome looks, a head of white hair, and an exceedingly sinister, cold countenance.
Indeed, even non-Night Walkers could see this phantom. This was no ordinary spirit—it was a primordial spirit!
Looking directly at this primordial spirit, Zhang Yuanqing felt his own soul tremble, as though confronting a natural predator.
Realizing he couldn't escape, the Pure Yang Sect Master immediately shot toward Zhang Yuanqing with a clear objective.
Elder Gao Feng stepped in front of Yuanshi Tianzun, whipping the black cloth streamer toward the Pure Yang Sect Master's spirit.
Unexpectedly, the spirit dissipated in an instant, transforming into a wisp of curling green smoke that bypassed the strike of the streamer and continued drifting toward Zhang Yuanqing.
This Sect Master possessed profound mastery over primordial spirits; if it were Zhang Yuanqing, he could never pull off an operation like dispersing his own spirit body.
"Yuanshi!" Guan Ya turned pale and threw herself in front of him without hesitation.
*Fuck...* Alarmed, Zhang Yuanqing swiftly drew the Demon-Subduing Pestle and stabbed it fiercely into his thigh. A dazzling burst of golden light erupted, flooding every inch of the platform.
The Pure Yang Sect Master's primordial spirit crashed headlong into the exploding golden brilliance. Ghostly black smoke billowed out at once as he let out a shrill shriek:
"Why do you possess the Pure Yang Sect's supreme treasure?! What is your relationship with that vile disciple?!"
With a calm expression, Elder Gao Feng drew back his black streamer and aimed his palm at the primordial spirit bathed in golden light, giving it a gentle clench.
In an instant, streams of hazy yellow earthen energy coalesced rapidly, adhering to the Pure Yang Sect Master's primordial spirit and continuously compressing, compressing, until they solidified into a small orb.
Within the orb, a wisp of green smoke could be faintly seen thrashing about, seemingly desperate to break free from its cage.
Simultaneously, Elder Gao Feng raised a hand and beckoned. The Demon-Subduing Pestle in Zhang Yuanqing's grip flew out on its own, hovering before the Elder with its three-edged tip pointed at the yellowish orb.
Elder Gao Feng gave a light flick of his hand. The Demon-Subduing Pestle shot forth like an arrow, piercing right through the yellowish orb.
Another flare of golden light exploded, accompanied by the Pure Yang Sect Master's agonized screams.
A few seconds later, the golden radiance dispersed, and everything was reduced to nothingness.
The crowd silently exhaled a breath.
*So formidable. He's clearly an Earth Monster, yet he can even trap spiritual bodies...* Zhang Yuanqing bent down to retrieve the fallen Demon-Subduing Pestle, thinking that having the protection of a Level 8 Elder truly provided an immense sense of security.
Guan Ya rushed to the middle schooler's side, and after examining her, she said with a frown, "Something's wrong with Jingwei."
Elder Gao Feng, with his receding hairline, walked over and took a few looks. "Her mental energy was sucked dry, turned into nourishment for that vengeful spirit. The Pure Yang Sect Master was stalling earlier just to recover his strength. A fascinating method indeed—worthy of an ancient cultivator. I've never seen the Taiyi Sect Elders employ such a trick."
What Zhang Yuanqing was pondering was that when he examined Jingwei's face with Star Physiognomy, there had been no abnormality whatsoever. Yet in reality, she was harmed.
*Can a high-level Night Walker deceive astromancy?*
Elder Gao Feng said, "Divide the funerary items among yourselves. Just leave these things out of the report."
Otherwise, according to the rules of the Five Elements Alliance, all these items would have to be turned in for merits and cash bonuses.
Official organizations strictly forbade pocketing spoils of war. Naturally, such practices occurred repeatedly despite prohibitions; as long as no one reported it, the authorities wouldn't bother to intervene.
*What kind of merciful, benevolent leader is this?* Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly said, "Elder, you should pick an item too."
Elder Gao Feng waved his hand. "Their grade is too low. Taking them would be useless to me."
"Elder, then let me treat you to a grand feast," Zhang Yuanqing amended.
Elder Gao Feng's eyes lit up. Pleasantly surprised by the boy's tact, he broke into a smile. "That works!
"When you have time, come visit Hang City. I'll take you mountain climbing."
For a moment, Zhang Yuanqing didn't know whether to decline or agree.
Immediately, the group divvied up the funerary objects from the stone coffin. As expected, Zhang Yuanqing took the two ancient manuals along with the small bronze cauldron.
Since Guan Ya possessed the ancient Han sword, she yielded the razor-sharp small sword to Natsuki's Love, claimed the double-dragon jade pendant, and kept the small Flame Banner safe on Jiang Jingwei's behalf.
Deacon Yu chose the emerald-green bead, Houde Zaiwu picked the ancient mirror, and as for the remaining bronze taotie beast, the group planned to turn it over to the Hang City branch.
Having divided the spoils, everyone joined hands. Elder Gao Feng pressed a hand onto Natsuki's Love's shoulder and led his subordinates away using earth escape.
***
Outside the ancient tomb, beside the bright yellow cordon tape, a police officer slowly raised his head, black darkness welling up within his eyes.
He glanced back toward the entrance of the tomb, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he muttered under his breath:
"My good disciple, so you aren't dead after all..."
***
Late on a midsummer night, at half past eleven, Zhang Yuanqing's team—having finished their lavish feast and exchanged contact information with the Deacons and Elder Gao Feng—rode a commercial van back to Songhai, arriving at the Fujia Bay Villa to report.
Fu Qingyang listened in silence before saying, "Understood."
His expression remained impassive. He displayed no curiosity regarding the history of ancient cultivators, seemingly having known it long ago. Furthermore, the ancient tomb incident fell under the jurisdiction of the Hang City branch, not Songhai's.
Zhang Yuanqing said, "I want to relay this matter to Lady Sandao to verify the Pure Yang Sect Master's words through her. But ever since her last descent, there has been no movement from her."
Fu Qingyang scrutinized him. "And?"
"I want to apply to the branch for summoning ritual materials. Um, I'd prefer it to count toward operational funds rather than my personal expenses," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Personal expenses had to be repaid, whereas operational funds did not.
Fu Qingyang saw through his petty calculation and said flatly, "Give a list to the bunny girl. I'll have someone deliver them next door shortly."
As long as the request wasn't excessive, the Money Prince always indulged his trusted subordinate.
"Also," Fu Qingyang said in a low voice, "stay home properly these days. Do not go out."
Without explaining why, he waved his hand. "Go back and rest."
Zhang Yuanqing stood up. "You should rest early as well."
Transforming into a dreamy streak of starlight, he vanished from the study.
***
One in the morning, inside the smaller villa.
Queen and Little Green Tea, who had been wandering around in their pajamas, finally retired to their rooms to sleep.
In the second-floor bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he found a tall, slender bunny girl standing gracefully outside, with a rolling dining cart behind her.
"Mr. Yuanshi, the materials you requested have arrived," she said with a smile.
*That was fast.* Zhang Yuanqing nodded, pulling the cart inside. "You can go back to rest."
Closing the door, he lifted the tablecloth. Dozens of materials were arrayed atop the cart. Common ones included cinnabar, yellow talisman paper, and grave soil from mass burial mounds, while rarer items included spirit jade and star sand.
Aside from the summoning ritual supplies, Zhang Yuanqing had also lumped talisman-crafting materials into his requisition list.
Unsurprisingly, his guild master—a man skilled in convincing others with virtue—had fulfilled his request once again.
Zhang Yuanqing took out the materials for summoning the old crone one by one and commenced the summoning ritual.
Chapter 325