Devour

Chapter 466 Bloodstained Locust Tree Shade

As they spoke, the group had already reached the observation deck on the bridge, where their view suddenly opened up.

A crystal screen wafts the morning air, while the fragrance of pine smoke drifts through the pavilions and alleys.

The crane's shadow dotted the ink-stained pond, where water and sky reflected each other, washing the cliffs with gold.

Looking around, one can see a large crowd gathered in the ruins beside the Inkstone Washing Pond. Some are directing the work in an orderly manner, some are focused on cleaning up the mess, and others are performing rituals to rebuild beams and pillars and lay bricks and tiles.

Yun Juan asked in confusion, "I heard that before dawn yesterday, a shocking incident happened at the academy! Even Qingjianlu was razed to the ground, and the books and classics collected inside suffered heavy losses."

Bao Youchuan remained calm and stroked his beard, saying, "Although Qingjianlu has a large collection of books, almost all of them are copies. As for the truly valuable rare and precious editions, as well as the unique manuscripts of various academicians, they are all perfectly preserved in Qingyunlou. Protected by a great array inside and outside the building, it is as solid as a rock and can be completely protected!"

He paused slightly, a faint smile in his eyes, and added, "Taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lord Loushi requested to expand Qingjianlu, and the Master agreed. So, they are speeding up the construction, and in another two or three days it will be completely renewed."

“For cultivators, this loss is not serious.” Cheng Bai’s spiritual eyes were sharp, sweeping across the streets and alleys before settling on a certain spot. “But those four over there are carrying a coffin through the city in broad daylight, aren’t they afraid of spoiling the scenery?”

Everyone had extraordinary eyesight and looked into the distance following the sound. They saw four men wearing ghost masks and black bodysuits carrying a thick, dark red coffin, walking steadily through the streets.

This strange group exuded an eerie aura, completely out of place with its surroundings. Wherever they went, students and passersby alike would hurriedly avoid them from afar, fearing they might be tainted by any unnecessary bad luck.

Min Wushuang narrowed his eyes to carefully examine the coffin bearers. His expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "They are from the Wangliang Sect of Beilin Ice Continent. Despite their mysterious appearance and unpredictable actions, they are actually a major righteous sect."

Cheng Bai asked curiously, "Those people who spend their days with corpses and ghosts must have come together by chance. Could their work be considered some kind of special profession?"

"The cultivation world needs 'cleaners'!"

Bao Youchuan spoke calmly, as if recounting a family matter: "If a cultivator falls due to deep-seated obsession and lingering resentment, their body may undergo a corpse transformation or become a vengeful ghost. There are also those who practice evil arts and demonic techniques but suffer backlash or die unjustly in accidents, their three corpses lingering and causing harm to the surrounding area. Righteous sects gather to eliminate them for fame and fortune, and once they have succeeded, all that remains are scattered corpses and the 'dirty work' and 'tiring work' that no one cares about."

Cheng Bai picked up the thread and said, "Disciples of prestigious sects disdain getting involved, but they need someone to handle it, so the Demon Sect came into being?"

Bao Youchuan nodded slightly and said, "The major sects tacitly allow the Hu family to grow stronger. On the surface, they despise and distance themselves from it, but in private, they often entrust it with important tasks. Over time, the Hu family has produced many experts in controlling corpses, and its power has grown day by day. It has finally become a powerful sect and was able to join the ranks of the Nine Sects and Ten Schools."

Cheng Baiyi understood and said, "No wonder the Hu family always refers to themselves as the 'teachers of the righteous path,' as if they want to plaster their 'pure and red' rhetoric on their faces."

Bao Youchuan shook his head and sighed, "The first of the Hu family's ancestral precepts was 'to act in the netherworld while keeping one's heart in the light.' But among those who spend years in the filth and evil, only one in a hundred can maintain a pure heart. Nowadays, there are quite a few members of the Wangliang Sect who use various pretexts to pretend to be gods and ghosts, and deceive the world and steal fame."

Jinlian crossed her arms and said contemptuously, "If the Hu family didn't rely on their 'corpse puppet,' a killing weapon they've accumulated over the years, would they even deserve to be among the 'Nine Gates' with their consistently bottom-ranking skills among cultivators of the same level? I think they're nothing more than a 'chamber pot' dedicated to filth."

Cheng Bai was already familiar with corpse puppets. Many unorthodox cultivators were skilled in refining corpses and controlling souls, and those schools that ranked at the top must have extraordinary attainments. He then asked, "What unique abilities does the Hu family possess? Are they powerful?"

Jinlian revealed, "The mental cultivation method of the Wangliang Sect is quite different from other sects. They specialize in absorbing the yin energy of water and earth to cultivate the 'ghost and spirit body,' thereby gaining the ability to communicate with spirits and control ghosts. Their techniques are unique. They have searched far and wide for corpses with the five elements attributes and have accumulated them over the years, finally refining five king-level corpse puppets of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth."

Cheng Bai pressed further, "Could one of those coffins carried by those four men with ghost faces be one of them?"

Min Wushuang asserted, "Judging from this coffin, its deep red color resembles congealed blood. It is clearly made from fire-resistant Danmu wood, and what is sealed inside must be the fire-type corpse puppet 'Yejin Tong'."

"The corpse puppet even has a name?" Cheng Bai found this intriguing and slightly intriguing. "What's the origin of this Karma Child?"

Min Wushuang decided to start talking: "It is said that hundreds of years ago, there was a terrestrial immortal who possessed the 'Eternal Child Body' and cultivated to the mid-stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. He should have had a bright future. However, he was caught up in the struggle for the divine fire source 'Soul-Eating Demon Flame' and was unfortunately devoured by the backlash. He suffered the rotting of his bones and soul, leaving only a desiccated corpse with lingering resentment. It eventually fell into the hands of the Wraith Sect and was refined into a corpse puppet, named 'Karma Child'."

After recounting the past, Min Wushuang glanced at Bao Youchuan and continued, "After that battle, the Soul-Eating Demon Flame was suppressed and sealed by the experts of Taotie Academy and has not appeared in the world for many years."

Bao Youchuan cleared his throat, intentionally changing the subject: "The four coffin bearers are led by Hu Hanshang, the young master of the Hu family. This young man's talent is outstanding among the younger generation of the Hu family. He has already mastered the 'Hundred Refined Ghost God Body' and is expected to become a Holy Son in the future. He personally brought Ye Jintong with him, which must be a protective treasure bestowed by the sect."

Jinlian scoffed: "Protecting the Dao? It's just knowing they're not strong enough, they're using a puppet to bolster their courage. If it weren't for the Five Elements Corpse Puppet, the Wraith Sect would have been kicked out of the Nine Gates and Ten Sects by the sages long ago."

During the conversation, the coffin-carrying procession of the Hu family turned into a quiet alley under the shade of locust trees in the distance.

Several old, withered locust tree branches peeked out from the tops of the walls on both sides. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Inside the alley, the cold wind rustled the withered leaves, echoing the monotonous and heavy footsteps of the four men with grotesque faces, making the allure all the more desolate.

Suddenly, Bei Tingjun exclaimed in alarm, "Something terrible is about to happen!"

Cheng Bai, with his divine sense reaching far, also noticed the unusual situation and hurriedly said, "Young Master Hu is being watched by a powerful enemy!"

Before the words were even finished, three dark figures suddenly sprang out from the dark corners of the streets and alleys, two in front and one behind, and pounced on the four men with ghost faces.

In broad daylight, the shadowy assassin's figure was shrouded in a writhing, hazy shadow, his face unrecognizable. He moved without making a sound, his deadly moves aimed straight for vital points!

Even a master like Hu Hanshang, who was at the Wuwei realm, didn't have time to utter a cry of alarm before his throat was severed by a swift, sharp dagger wielded by the opponent in a flash of cold light!

"Uh...ho..." Hu Hanshang's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief, and one hand instinctively covered his neck tightly.

Warm blood gushed out like a fountain; his neck was severed, connected only by a layer of skin and flesh. It was all too late; his powerless body convulsed and collapsed.

The half-immortal's cultivation was similar to his, and he had no chance to defend himself. He was entangled by another black shadow, and with a crisp "crack", his good head was immediately twisted one and a half times!

In the dizzying spinning, Hu Banxian suddenly saw his slightly hunched back, followed by a burst of excruciating pain and a tidal wave of fear.

Knowing he was doomed, the Half-Immortal Hu gritted his teeth and forced out a vicious curse: "You damned bastard... Imperial decree!"

The two disciples of the Hu family, whose cultivation was still shallow, were attacked from behind by the shadowy assassin, a short sword piercing their hearts. The two died instantly without even uttering a sound.

The entire thrilling assassination attempt ended in less than a breath!

Among the three swiftly passing black figures, the second assassin, while attacking Hu Banxian, took the opportunity to snatch the treasure bag from his waist.

After succeeding, the assassins didn't touch the coffin. They immediately withdrew, disappearing like ghosts into the shadows of the alleyway in the blink of an eye.

On the observation platform, Jinlian's almond-shaped eyes were wide open as she used her divine sense to detect the movements behind the wall. She commented, "While the assassin's method of breaking the neck was deadly, it was somewhat amateurish. The other two must be professional assassins, not giving their target any chance to speak or resist."

Bao Youchuan was shocked and muttered, "The secret technique aided their escape, and their actions were meticulous. It's impossible to identify the assassin. This must have been a premeditated assassination by the evil sect. To dare to commit such a crime openly in the sacred grounds of the academy is extremely audacious!"

Under the bright sunlight, the blood flowing everywhere in the long, narrow alleyway looked particularly glaring.