'Xiao Hui, any moment now!'
Blood Moon Marsh,
North Mist Hillrock.
On a lonely northern hill, hundreds of kilometers from the ruined castle of the Divine Moon Peak Empire, the landscape lay shrouded in drifting fog. Jagged stones jutted toward the sky, while mist clung to the slopes as if guarding secrets buried deep within the rock.
Across this desolate terrain, the clash of battle echoed. The roars of demon beasts shook the earth, reverberating through every crevice of the rocky hillside.
Amid the chaos, Chen Zhenlong in his demon spirit form stood in the thick of it, locked in combat with the Kingfisher Alligator, a one-star, Black Gold–ranked demon beast and its relentless horde.
ROOOAAARRR!
BOOM!
Shifting to his side, Chen Zhenlong dodged the incoming jagged tail of the Kingfisher Alligator, as he drove a fierce kick into its face, sending the massive beast flying.
The ground trembled as the giant alligator crashed onto the earth.
It let out a furious roar and immediately rolled onto its side, barreling toward Chen Zhenlong's position.
Seeing the giant alligator rolling toward him, Chen Zhenlong with a sharp look in his eyes, opened his maw, as he condenses spiritual energy gathering rapidly in circular motions within his mouth.
White wind blast!
SWOOSH!
THUD!
With impeccable timing, the moment the Kingfisher Alligator exposed its belly, Chen Zhenlong fired his White Wind Blast straight at it, striking the demon beast at its most vulnerable spot.
The impact landed cleanly, and the alligator howled in agony, suffering heavily from the attack.
'IT'S OPEN!!'
Hearing Xue Hui's voice within his mind, Chen Zhenlong immediately turned his back and abandoned the fight. Leaving the horde of enraged demon beasts as he sprinted toward Xue Hui's location.
Earlier, Xue Hui and the others had managed to locate the Moon Peak Emperor's hidden treasure chamber.
It lay in the northern region of the ruined empire, beneath a massive rock hill surrounded by a group of powerful demon beasts that had made their nest there.
With the entrance sitting directly under a Black Gold–ranked demon beast's nest.
Seeing this Xue Hui devised a simple plan, someone needed to distract the Demon beast as he approached the rock hill where the nest was, as Xue Hui will crack the inscription lock of the treasure chamber's entrance.
Once the plans were made, Xue Hui and the rest decided to have a small break.
Finding a perfect spot, Xue Hui burrowed the Sacred Jade Room into a nearby rock wall, as they entered.
Inside, the group shared a quick meal while Xue Hui and Chen Zhenlong made their final preparations.
It's been decided that Chen Zhenlong would draw the attention of the entire horde, luring them far away from their nest.
While the beasts were distracted fighting him, Xue Hui along with Silver guarding his back, would sneak to the hill where the demon beasts nested, opening the entrance.
Simple, yet effective.
Since the plan worked exactly as they intended.
Xue Hui with his palm perched on the treasure chamber's control mechanism, stood before the now opened entrance as he waited for Chen Zhenlong to enter.
With a horde of Enraged demon beasts on his tail, Chen Zhenlong ran straight toward their nest. From a distance, he spotted Xue Hui standing before the opened cave.
Increasing his speed, Chen Zhenlong widened the distance between himself and the enraged horde behind him.
"JUST GO AHEAD! I'M CLOSING THE ENTRANCE!" Xue Hui shouted, seeing the fast approaching Chen Zhenlong.
Trusting the boy, Chen Zhenlong nodded dashing through the cave entrance, as he ran past Xue Hui.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
ROOOAAARRR!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Once Chen Zhenlong got in, Xue Hui with his hand on the treasure chamber control mechanism, controlled the inscription lock, and slammed the entrance shut.
Unable to slow down, some of the demon beasts chasing Chen Zhenlong at great speed, violently crashed into the now-shut entrance, killing some of the demon beasts.
Inside the hallway of the treasure chamber.
The moment the door shut, the place was shrouded in pitch darkness, cutting their sight, their ears picking the sound of flickering from both of their sides. With it came the appearance of blinking embers, like a swarm of fireflies trying to light up for the first time.
One by one, the lamps along the walls ignited, casting the entire place in a soft yellow glow.
Which brought back their ability to see their surroundings.
As they successfully entered the treasure chamber, Xue Hui walked to the side of the pathway and sat cross-legged as he took a slow, steady breath.
Xue Hui looked at Chen Zhenlong, whose breathing raggedly, visibly worn out from his encounter earlier.
"Let's rest for a while, Lord Patriarch." Hearing Xue Hui's voice, Chen Zhenlong shifted his gaze, as he saw the boy taking a break "we need our full strength before continuing, especially you and Silver."
Hearing his words, Chen Zhenlong nodded and sat at another corner of the hall. Steadying his breathing, Chen Zhenlong took out one of Xue Hui's pills and tossed it into his mouth, absorbing its medicinal effects as it slowly restored his body and Soul force to their peak condition.
After he caught his breath, Chen Zhenlong cast a sidelong glance at the Xue Hui, and a thought entered his mind.
"This is it, huh?"
Hearing Chen Zhenlong, Xue Hui lifted his head. He sent a knowing look at the older man beside him and nodded.
They were both thinking the same thing.
Once they successfully obtained the Glaze Blood, they would finally be able to use it to rebuild Chen Linlin's soul realm, bringing their year-long mission to an end.
And once everything was over, they could all finally return home to Glory City.
Chen Zhenlong couldn't wait to see his wives again, sleep in his own bed, and enjoy his days without constantly watching his back.
For Xue Hui, however, this was only the beginning.
Once Chen Linlin's soul realm was successfully rebuilt, he would immediately focus on raising his strength to the peak of this world.
While he could help some of the most trusted demon spiritualist experts in glory city like Chen Zhenlong and Chen Linlin to break through to Legend rank, increasing the overall strength of Glory City, or even used his vast knowledge to improve the city's defenses, Xue Hui main focused would still be his own cultivation.
Only by becoming a supreme expert could he ensure the safety of everyone.
"Let's do this!" After a few minutes of rest, Xue Hui stood up from the ground. Which made Chen Zhenlong and Silver follow his lead as they went deep to the treasure chamber's hallway.
"Lord Patriarch, Silver, you'll have to buy me time to refine the Moon Glaze Eternal Lotus Physique." The two nodded as Xue Hui removed the Fuzhuang box from Silver's back and hung it on his own, Xue Hui walked forward, deeper into the chamber.
"Don't underestimate that corpse servant. Despite her appearance, she used to be a Legend-rank expert. She undoubtedly possesses some powerful techniques." Xue Hui reminded the two once more, as the two nodded to his words.
One by one, Xue Hui disarmed the hidden traps as they steadily advanced toward the treasure chamber.
The closer they got, the more their surroundings gradually expanded—wider walls, higher ceilings, and smoother pavement.
Along the way, the three of them will occasionally stumble upon quite a number of well-furnished rooms.
"Why did the Moon Peak Emperor build this many rooms inside his treasure chamber?" Curious, Chen Zhenlong asked the boy beside him.
Without stopping, Xue Hui gave the rooms a brief glance and shrugged.
"The Moon Peak Emperor loved collecting treasures from all over the world. That included beautiful women." Chen Zhenlong shook his head, his expression seemingly asking if he heard wrong,
Xue Hui continued "If he found someone he fancied, he would send his people to abduct them and force a soul slave imprint on them, locking them here until he got tired of them and threw them away."
Chen Zhenlong halted his footsteps and looked at the rows of lavish rooms surrounding him.
His expression shifted from rage to sorrow.
As a husband and the father of a little girl, he couldn't imagine how the families of those abducted women must have felt back then.
Even if they knew who had taken their loved ones and where they were, against the overwhelming power of the Moon Peak Emperor at the time, they would have been powerless to do anything.
Without the absolute strength to trample the entire Divine Moon Peak Empire, saving their loved ones would have been nothing more than wishful thinking.
Either they gave up, or they died trying.
Chen Zhenlong knew that if it were him, he would choose the latter.
"Please tell me that emperor died horribly."
Xue Hui chuckled when he heard Chen Zhenlong's words.
"He actually did. A supreme expert crippled his soul realm, forced him to swallow a regenerative pill that constantly healed his body for the next fifty years, and bound him with cursed chains before throwing him into a place infested with flesh-eating vines."
Hearing that there was a supreme expert capable of inflicting such torture made Chen Zhenlong's entire body tremble.
He silently prayed that he would never encounter such a person in the future.
"She's vindictive like that," Xue Hui added while chuckling to himself.
He remembered how Emperor Shen Jiao Dao, despite being hunted by her enemies, still went out of her way to tracked down and torture the Moon Peak Emperor before she was eventually forced out of the Tiny World by the Sage Emperor.
The trio continued walking forward.
The closer they got, the quieter they became, until the only sound they could hear was the echo of their own footsteps.
Squinting his eyes, Xue Hui could almost make out the silhouette of a giant door in front of them.
"We're here," he said, informing the two beside him.
Stopping before it, Xue Hui and Chen Zhenlong exchanged knowing looks.
Behind this door lay the body of Suo Leiyue, the Moon Glaze Eternal Lotus Physique.
Securing the Fuzhuang box on his back, Xue Hui nodded, signaling the two to push open the door.
Chen Zhenlong stood to the left, Silver to the right. Together, they pushed against the gigantic doors.
The heavy iron doors groaned as they slowly opened. A rush of cold air spilled out from the darkness beyond, carrying the faint scent of metal and aged wood.
Xue Hui stepped inside first, with Chen Zhenlong and Silver following behind him.
The chamber stretched far deeper than they had expected.
Piles of spirit stones shimmered like scattered stars across the floor. Gold coins lay heaped in small hills, reflecting a dazzling glow beneath the crystal lamps embedded in the ceiling. Jade artifacts, ancient scrolls, demon crystals, weapons forged from rare metals, and armor engraved with intricate inscriptions were arranged in careful rows along the walls.
Every corner of the vast chamber glittered with unimaginable wealth.
The sheer quantity was overwhelming.
This was not merely a treasury—it was a mountain of riches. Its value could easily surpass the combined wealth of all the families in Glory City.
Even Chen Zhenlong, who had long been accustomed to seeing great wealth, could not help but hold his breath.
Xue Hui, however, remained calm. His eyes were focused only on the object resting at the center of the altar—the Eternal Tomb.
Behind the Eternal Tomb sat a corpse. Her body had almost been devoured by the flow of time. Slowly, her head lifted and turned toward them. In her seemingly hollow eyes, a faint glint of awareness flickered.
She knew what they had come for.
With awkward movements, the corpse slowly rose from her chair and began to walk forward, her eyes still fixed on Xue Hui and his group as they descended the stairs toward the altar.
Seeing this, the corpse stood protectively in front of the Eternal Tomb and opened her mouth to speak.
"Child, you are far too young to die. Go, take all those treasures with you," the corpse stretched her bony arm toward the mountains of treasure. "Leave this place at once. There is no need for a beautiful child like you to die in my hands."
The corpse servant's voice rasped through its rotted throat, hollow and wet. Each word crawled across their skin like icy fingers, sending chills down their spines.
Xue Hui showed no reaction. He stepped forward and cupped his hands respectfully toward the corpse.
"Senior, I apologize, but we absolutely cannot do that."
As soon as Xue Hui spoke those words, they heard the sound of joints snapping back into place, making both Chen Zhenlong and Silver immediately stand on alert.
Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Xue Hui continued.
"We need Senior Suo Leiyue's help so my friend can get rid of her withered soul realm," he said calmly. "And build her a new one with the help of the Glaze Blood."
Xue Hui bowed deeply.
"I hope Senior will understand."
Hearing his reasoning, the corpse tilted her head slightly. After a moment of pondering, she nodded in understanding.
"Show me the child," she demanded.
When he heard that the corpse wanted to see his daughter, Chen Zhenlong unconsciously grabbed Xue Hui's shoulder.
He didn't like the idea of his daughter leaving the protection of the Fuzhuang Box, let alone standing in front of the corpse.
Xue Hui looked at him and met his gaze. The boy gave him a knowing look, silently asking him to trust him.
Chen Zhenlong could only glance at the corpse before looking back at Xue Hui.
Reluctantly, he gave his permission.
Receiving his consent, Xue Hui put down the Fuzhuang Box. opened it and peeked inside, speaking softly to Chen Linlin before allowing her to step out.
Although her body froze the moment her eyes fell upon the corpse, Chen Linlin forced herself to move. She walked forward and kowtowed to the corpse before her.
"C–Chen Linlin pays respect to Senior. I–I apologize for trying to plunder Senior Suo Leiyue's remains, but… but…"
Her voice trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I don't wish to be crippled for the rest of my life."
The corpse nodded slightly, her hollow eyes observing the little girl.
"I want to be free from my withered soul realm and walk alongside the people I–I love. I don't want to be left behind by them."
Hearing his daughter's plea, Chen Zhenlong struggled to hold back the emotions threatening to break free from his chest.
Xue Hui held Chen Linlin's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, making sure she knew he would always be by her side no matter what.
The corpse did not immediately respond. She simply stared at the little girl in front of her, seemingly lost in nostalgia as she looked at her.
Then, slowly, the corpse nodded.
"You remind me of Suo Leiyue when she was little… back when we first met."
She turned her head toward the tomb beside her, her long, emaciated fingers gliding over her friend's coffin.
"I am certain that Suo Leiyue would be more than happy to give you her Glaze Blood."
Before Chen Zhenlong and Chen Linlin could react to what the corpse had said, her next words cut them off.
"I would also gladly let you take it, but…" she paused, emphasizing her next words, "I am under the Emperor's enslavement. Whether I am willing or not, it doesn't matter, I am forced to protect the Glaze Blood from anyone, no matter what."
Those words nearly made the father and daughter's hearts stop.
They still had to fight the corpse—even though she had just said she was willing to let them take the Glaze Blood.
However, Xue Hui simply smiled, showing no sign of disappointment.
"We knew that, Senior. That's why I brought Lord Patriarch and Silver with me."
Breaking the awkward silence, Xue Hui stepped forward while gently pulling Chen Linlin by the hand.
"As long as Senior's heart is willing, then that is more than enough."
The corpse looked at the small boy standing before her, her gaze seemingly asking how they intended to obtain the Glaze Blood while it remained under her protection.
Xue Hui pointed his thumb at himself.
"I'll handle the process of obtaining the Glaze Blood, while Lord Patriarch and Silver will block Senior from stopping me."
Silence shrouded the chamber after Xue Hui spoke. The corpse stared at the boy in front of her as understanding slowly dawned on her.
"This servant's name is Guān Ning. I'll try my best to hold myself back for as long as I can, so please give it your best to stop me."
After saying those words, Guān Ning stepped forward, ignoring the two children as she walked past them.
She stopped in front of Chen Zhenlong and looked at him.
"Your daughter?"
Chen Zhenlong nodded.
"You're a good father. Please don't die."
End of Chapter 26