He and It Chapter 178: Inquire Here (6)

Chapter 178: Inquire Here (6)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: GaeaTiamat

The cultural heritage of the Eastern Swamp had always revolved around embracing death as a part of life. The people of the country firmly believed that death was merely the beginning of another journey. Therefore, their tombs were always constructed to resemble living abodes, and the funeral offerings mainly consisted of practical items.

When he was still young, his parents had held him and shown him the map of the tomb. His father proudly said, “Fuguang, for the sun, there are nine golden crows from ancient times. Your tomb must also have nine, so that your brilliance can shine into the ancient underground and be with the spirits of our ancestors.”

Thus, those powerful figures who served the Eastern Swamp royal family indeed constructed nine mysterious tombs for Liu Fuguang according to the map. Unfortunately, just like the ominous meaning behind Hou Yi shooting down nine suns after he suffered betrayal, only the smallest and most secluded tomb was left for him to rest in for thousands of years.

When he thought of his long-departed parents and homeland, Liu Fuguang’s heart was filled with waves of suffocating pain. It was as a result, that upon seeing the coordinates of the yin wood, he slowly recalled that they were the runes created by those cultivators who built the tombs for the sake of convenience.

“Look!” Meng Xiaotang held her breath, her attention drawn to a distant place. “There…what’s that?”

Sun Yinian squinted into the distance. Below the brilliance of the golden tower, several dark red orbs floated, ominously colored, like blood blisters parasitizing the radiance of the pearl. He frowned and quickly slapped talismans to hide spiritual energy on the others, and whispered, “Demonic cultivators, heavy with demonic energy. They have to be at least at the Golden Core stage to sustain those array barriers.”

“Demonic cultivators? What are they doing here?” Zhen Yue lowered his voice. “Now that we’re here, we don’t even know how to get out…”

“Get closer,” Liu Fuguang suddenly said. “Let me see what they’re doing.”

The others were all taken aback. Sun Yinian wanted to advise against rash actions, but when the other man said that, although his face was pale, there was a resolute determination in his expression that made it hard to refuse.

Right. He had been a crown prince of a nation before. Naturally, he had the demeanor. Sun Yinian thought. The sign didn’t shine earlier or later, but only when they approached him, it suddenly did. He also recognized the purpose of that sign…could this place be another tomb for him? Or perhaps for his parents and elders?

While he pondered, Liu Fuguang had already extended his hand and drawn a small rune on the black square stone. His hand movement was awkward at first, but gradually became skilled. After he completed the rune smoothly, the nearby black stones silently floated up and formed a path leading to the golden tower.

“Go this way,” he said. “Just be careful, we won’t be discovered.”

The four of them looked at him with uncertain eyes. Liu Fuguang forged on and took a few steps ahead. When he saw that no one was following him, he turned his head and said, “Trust me. Come on.”

…Forget it! Meng Xiaotang rushed forward first, regardless of whether it was life or death. She couldn’t just leave without following Brother Fuguang!

Sun Yinian sighed and followed behind Liu Fuguang. Since he was so familiar with the tomb, even if something happened, there would be some assurance.

Xue Li had initially come to catch demon beasts, but now the main task had shifted to investigating the intentions of the demonic cultivators. He didn’t have much to object to, so he collected Zhen Yue and followed at the rear.

The black stones bobbed up and down but remained steady. The group of people passed through many heavy, massive decorations within the tomb. They saw layered jade steps and towering golden platforms, with faint glimmers that drifted between the ancient and silent buildings like living fireflies. The lights illuminated numerous immense statues – bronze lions and tigers – as well as countless treasures in gold, silver, pearls, as well as exotic flowers and herbs, piled up and guarding the golden palace in the center.

The scale of that tomb far exceeded what any of them had seen in their lifetimes. They all came from large sects, where the size of the sect was measured by country. Besides the Patriarchs, who were often elusive, no one could have built such a magnificent tomb.

They crossed the shortcut, and were soon brought by the black stones to a place not far from the golden tower. Upon closer inspection of that marvelous and magnificent creation, they felt it was so ingeniously crafted that it hardly seemed to be the work of human hands.

“Yinian,” Liu Fuguang whispered. “My eyesight isn’t as good as yours. Take a look, what are they doing?”

Sun Yinian immediately looked up. He suppressed his spiritual realm and obscured his crimson palace to prevent the demonic cultivators with stronger cultivation bases from noticing him. He only gathered spiritual power in his eyes and quickly scanned the scene.

“They…are talking, I can’t hear clearly.” Sun Yinian glanced again, and then lowered his head to report. “And then they…hmm? I see many dead people on the steps. They should all be demonic cultivators.”

“After leaving the barrier, they can’t withstand the firepower of the Sun Pearl,” Liu Fuguang said softly. “What else?”

So that pearl is called the Sun Pearl, Meng Xiaotang thought. The true yang untouched by the Ghost Dragon’s corruption. Isn’t all that impressive, huh?

“And…wait, someone’s coming out of the golden palace,” Sun Yinian said. “And they’re holding something!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the demonic cultivators inside the blood blisters all acted together. They radiated filthy black-red demonic energy to resist the pure firepower emitted by the Sun Pearl. With a deafening explosion, the shockwaves of the collision spread in all directions, and blasted everything around!

In an instant, the true fire of the Sun Pearl incinerated the demonic energy cleanly, not sparing the demon cultivators who emerged from the golden palace, and burned them to death on the steps. Even the blood blister barriers evaporated with hissing sounds, and emitted an endless rotting black qi.

At the critical moment, a cold snort suddenly came from a blood blister. The waning demonic energy surged like the sea, and transformed into countless monstrous creatures with human faces and beast bodies that engaged in a fierce battle with the true fire of the Sun Pearl. The tomb shook violently, with the eerie black-red light and bright golden light swirling and intertwining until they almost formed  a massive vortex that threatened to engulf everything around it in destruction.

Liu Fuguang’s face turned pale, as he murmured, “This is bad…”

The next moment, the blood blister burst open with a thunderous sound, like grotesque fireworks were engulfing the mortal realm. The thick, viscous blood scab seemed like a heavy, wet net as it exploded towards the Sun Pearl, landing upon it but unable to break through its naturally generated, scorching, gold flames. The thick blood skin undulated continuously, as it emitted a gurgling, acidic sound like a deformed and mutated stomach trying to swallow a mass of indigestible lava.

As the light of the Sun Pearl dimmed, the entire tomb suddenly became terrifyingly dark. The person who had snorted earlier sounded very displeased as they said, “Why haven’t you picked up that thing yet?”

His words were understandable, but his tone was cold and sticky, like a dead person giving orders. Just hearing it sent shivers down one’s spine.

Xue Li hoarsely said, “…Nascent soul.”

A nascent soul demonic cultivator, surrounded by five or six golden cores and even more foundation establishments. Even if their Master came, it couldn’t guarantee they would escape unscathed. At that point, with that amount of danger, one wrong move could lead to irreversible consequences.

However, the more urgent the situation, the calmer people became. Now, they had to face the truth even if it meant death. Sun Yinian risked another glance and whispered, “Several foundation establishments have gone down. They put something…into a white jade box.”

“What is it?” Liu Fuguang asked.

Xue Li also joined in the investigation. After squinting for a while, he hesitated, “It seems to be a rolled-up painting, but I can’t see it clearly.”

Jade represented purity and cleanliness, and anything dirty touching white jade would either be contaminated or purified by it. Ironically, the demon cultivators were clad in armor that isolated demonic energy. They cautiously opened the jade box with non-molting precious metal clamps. Two of them carefully opened the lid, while three others gingerly lifted the painting and placed it inside. Their cautious and ridiculous behavior was perhaps even more meticulous than handling the ashes of their own family members.

After they closed the jade box, the nascent soul demonic cultivator seemed satisfied. He laughed hoarsely twice, and seemed triumphant, “With this precious item, I can finally ascend to the heavens in one step. What does a nascent soul matter? With the favor of the Ghost Dragon, I can achieve astral projection, soul splitting…even transcend the tribulation! What difficulties could there be!”

“Congratulations, Patriarch!” The golden cores below applauded in unison. One of them took a step forward, and said in flattery, “Patriarch’s foresight and planning are beyond us fools. This tomb was indeed hard to find.”

The nascent soul demonic cultivator laughed in self-satisfaction. “Those righteous idiots talk big about benevolence and righteousness; so hypocritically nauseating. How could they understand what the Supreme One truly desires? As for this one, although his death was not glorious, and his tomb set up many obstacles, prohibiting demon beasts from entering, fortunately, even though we have embarked on the path of longevity, we are still mortals and can always find opportunities to come in.”

Meng Xiaotang muttered indignantly, “Too petty! They’re just a nascent soul, and they’re calling him Patriarch in such a hurry…”

Sun Yinian quickly nudged her. The higher one’s cultivation level, the more sensitive the cultivator’s senses. Beings like true immortals, who were transcendent to the worldly realm, could simply mention someone’s name in the mortal world, and the person would be aware of their location. However, true immortals had their own breadth of mind; no matter what you said, they would treat it as if they didn’t hear it.

On the other hand, the nascent soul demonic cultivator stopped talking and instead emitted a faint hum from his nose. The golden cores beside him immediately understood. They ignited demonic energy into flames, which turned into whips and instantly wrapped up the five foundation establishment demonic cultivators. Before those five could even scream, they were quickly burned to ashes, which dispersed into the bottomless abyss.

Zhen Yue exclaimed, “Why is this happening?”

As if to answer his question, another golden core sighed, and said with a smile, “After touching that person’s painting, no matter if you actually touched it or not, the Supreme One won’t tolerate it. Consider it a favor. Fulfilling your filial piety to the Patriarch, and rest faithfully.”

After dealing with that little incident, the nascent soul demon cultivator stopped being verbose. With a stern expression, he shouted, “Formation! Quickly summon the army of ghost beasts here to fulfill my long-cherished wish!”

After he issued that command, Xue Li’s expression changed immediately, “Damn it, the person who sold me the information said the ghost beasts were in this direction, but it turns out to be in this way!”

“Who exactly was the person who sold you that information? Do you trust them so blindly?” Sun Yinian also became agitated. “If these demonic cultivators really summon an army of ghost beasts, then we’re finished! They won’t care about the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect or the Ninefold Palace!”

The two lowered their voices, whispering anxiously with flushed faces. When they saw that the demonic cultivators had already set up their positions and were stepping into place as they gradually manipulated the tomb’s energy veins to form a complex formation, Liu Fuguang suddenly said, “You all, go.”

After those words, everyone fell silent.

“Fuguang, what are you saying?” Meng Xiaotang asked anxiously. “Senior brother and I won’t leave you!”

“I’m serious.” Liu Fuguang didn’t smile, his expression very calm. He drew symbols on the square stone with one hand, and another dark stone path silently rose up. “Follow this path all the way to the end.”

Xue Li suddenly asked, “Young Master Liu, why are you so familiar with this tomb? Do you have any direct connection to it?”

Liu Fuguang didn’t answer his question, just smiled faintly. Without hesitation, he bent down and plunged into the unfathomable void! His white clothes were like a fish tail smoothly entering water, and even with Sun Yinian’s speed and Xue Li’s reflexes, they couldn’t catch a hold of him. Meng Xiaotang cried out in shock, and tears streamed down her face.

The commotion in the corner suddenly caused the nascent soul demonic cultivator who was sitting high in the air to open one eye. With a sinister tone, he said, “I’ve tolerated you enough, disciples of a minor sect!”

He opened one hand, and demonic energy instantly formed a massive Five Finger Mountain weighing tens of thousands of jin. The four trapped in his weapon had no chance to turn around and were seized by the nascent soul demonic cultivator. Their internal energy was thrown into chaos, their protective spiritual lights were shattered, and blood sprayed from their mouths and noses.

“Are your lot still chattering over there? Does this seat’s ears serve no purpose?” the nascent soul demon cultivator said. “If I have to, I’ll carve your hearts to serve as wine cups to ease my boredom!”

“Enough,” Liu Fuguang said. “Let them go.”

The four trapped in his weapon were all shocked. When they turned around, they saw Liu Fuguang was standing calmly in midair, his white clothes fluttering, as his hem brushed against the thick blood skin that bound the Sun Pearl.

“Fuguang, are you okay?” Meng Xiaotang was both surprised and worried, even as she was unable to help but cough up blood. “You…you should run. It’s very dangerous here!”

Liu Fuguang didn’t speak, just smiled at her. He seemed to be trying to reassure her.

As he stood in the dark space, his extraordinary appearance made the demonic cultivators who were present marvel in shock. However, the more they looked, the more difficult it became to breathe—even their life-sustaining demonic energy seemed to dissipate under his radiance.

The nascent soul was greatly shocked. He suddenly stood up, his voice hoarse with astonishment, “You’re actually a complete person?! No…no, no, no. That’s not right! You’re not just a complete person, you’re even more…” Before he could finish his sentence, his gaze swept to Liu Fuguang’s abdomen, and his expression of shock turned into one of delight. “Haha! Although you are a complete person in the xiāntiān realm, you are a deficient body in the hòutiān realm! ¹  Without a dantian, you have no cultivation base at all. How can you contend with me?”

When he recognized Liu Fuguang’s incomparable beauty, the nascent soul demonic cultivator’s greed blazed even more fiercely, and his eyes revealed a covetous gleam. He wanted to grab Liu Fuguang directly, but he feared that Liu Fuguang’s weak physique would cause him to be accidentally harmed, so he hesitated. With a tongue as long as that of a poisonous snake which dripped with black saliva, he said, “However, to have such a rare treasure like you follow a few minor sect members, is also my luck! Come obediently to me, don’t bother resisting, and I’ll spare the lives of these few insects. What do you say?”

Liu Fuguang wasn’t afraid of his terrifying appearance, nor was he angered by his words. He restrained his smile, and lowered his eyes. He seemed like an emotionless white jade Guanyin as he gently placed his palm on the undulating blood skin.

For a moment, the nascent soul demonic cultivator thought he was going to commit suicide.

That object was one of his treasured artifacts. The Crimson Refining Blood Robe was made from the skin of a thousand-year-old Crimson Dragon, and tempered in a sea of ​​thousands of people’s blood for a hundred years. When it unfolded, it covered the sky and earth, and obscured everything. When closed, it could refine flesh and blood. When enemies were enveloped inside, anyone below the nascent soul realm would instantly turn into blood and nourish his cultivation.

The Crimson Refining Blood Robe was full of blood poison. Even some powerful cultivators, if touched by it even a little, would have their healthy skin and flesh rotted. However this time, it wasn’t the graceful and handsome young man who rotted, but the Crimson Refining Blood Robe.

Like thin frost touched by sunlight or snow scorched by fire, the Crimson Refining Blood Robe melted and dissipated under Liu Fuguang’s hands like lightning, its thousand-year-old dragon skin as fragile as paper. He was like the sun…no, at that moment, he held a radiant circle of light as if he were the sun itself!

In an instant, the nascent soul demonic cultivator screamed in a high-pitched, agonizing voice, as his dantian almost split from the pain, and he vomited out blood nearly as black as asphalt. With his life treasure destroyed and having witnessed such an unbelievable scene, enlightenment dawned in his mind. He couldn’t help but shout in horror, “It’s you…it’s you! You, you actually came back!”

Liu Fuguang didn’t say a word, not a single word. The blazing golden flames of the Sun Pearl, like soft light, caressed his skin. He held the flame of the Sun Pearl high, and each burning flame was like an arrow that flashed with a sharp white light.

“No, no!” The nascent soul demonic cultivator jumped up, abandoned the four captives and the disciples bound by the formation. Shedding the Crimson Refining Blood Robe was like shedding a layer of skin. In an instant, he teleported from the golden palace to below the tomb, and shed thirty-two layers of bloody skin just to escape from Liu Fuguang’s pursuit!

However, it was all in vain.

The golden flames, like snow-white arrows, fell on the nascent soul demonic cultivator like a violent downpour from the sky, and extinguished all his vitality in one moment.