C23 Chapter 23

In a pitch-black chamber, Hua Hsing stood at the center, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Suddenly, he was struck by a glaring light. In the next moment, a chilling aura swept through the entire room. "Am I separated from the others?" Hua Hsing murmured, puzzled. This was supposed to be the legendary tomb, yet he had not discovered anything unusual.

"Is that a light over there?" he wondered as he noticed a distant glow. Without hesitation, he moved swiftly toward it. No matter how far he walked, the light remained elusive. He had already been walking for half an hour. "Could I be in a maze?" Hua Hsing mused, feeling somewhat speechless. It seemed he was indeed trapped in a labyrinth.

He thought carefully, searching for a way out. Meanwhile, the other warriors who had entered the tomb were also trapped in the maze, each seeking an exit.

Two hours later, Hua Hsing encountered someone in the maze, a member of the Seven-heaven Sect. The man glanced at Hua Hsing from afar, then turned and left, clearly not considering him a rival at all.

Another two hours passed, and Hua Hsing spotted a flower of a different color in the distance. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a Body Refining Flower.

"It's a Body Refining Flower," Hua Hsing said.

Zhang Bofeng attempted to attack Hua Hsing, but Hua Hsing's superior strength forced Zhang Bofeng to retreat. If they were not in the maze, Zhang Bofeng might not have survived. Finally, after six hours, Hua Hsing was the first to leave the labyrinth. Once outside, he sat down cross-legged and consumed the Body Refining Flower. The most crucial task right now was for Hua Hsing to enhance his strength. If he encountered Sunn Yunjun in the crypt, Sunn Yunjun certainly would not let him off easily. Hua Hsing's golden heart raced a few times, and in an instant, he absorbed all the effects of the Body Refining Flower. He felt his body grow stronger, advancing from the early phase of Qi Refining Stage Level Four to the mid-phase. After absorbing the flower's effects, Hua Hsing surveyed his surroundings and realized he was still in the underground palace. At the far end of the palace, there was a coffin.

"Hmm? Could the secret be inside the coffin?" Hua Hsing wondered, but he did not hesitate. He stepped forward and appeared right in front of the coffin. Just as Hua Hsing was about to open it, the coffin lid suddenly shook. In the next moment, a red aura surged out from within. An eerie laugh echoed in Hua Hsing's ears. Startled, Hua Hsing quickly channeled all his strength and punched the coffin. He retreated rapidly as the coffin opened, revealing a skeletal figure slowly emerging.

"What is this?" Hua Hsing was shocked. He could sense a powerful, bloody aura emanating from the skeleton.

"So, someone has discovered this place," the skeleton said ominously.

"Who are you?" Hua Hsing asked coldly.

As Hua Hsing spoke, Sunn Yunjun and others from the Seven-heaven Sect appeared outside the maze and discovered the skeleton. "Hua Hsing?" Sunn Yunjun was surprised, not expecting Hua Hsing to be the first disciple to exit the maze. But then he noticed the skeleton in the coffin.

"Who is he?" Sunn Yunjun asked.

"No idea, I just found him," Hua Hsing replied seriously.

"So many humans coming to meet their doom," the skeleton said icily, exuding a menacing aura. "You will all perish. The Yellow Spring Sect will rise again," it rasped.

After absorbing the medicinal effects of the Body-Tempering Flower, Hua Hsing looked around and found that he was still inside the Underground Palace. However, at the very front of the palace stood a coffin. He frowned slightly. Could the secret be hidden inside it? Though puzzled, he did not stop moving. Taking a single step forward, he arrived directly before the coffin.

"Who are you?" Hua Hsing asked coldly.

At that very moment, Sunn Yunjun, Seventh Day, and the others also appeared outside the maze and spotted the skeleton. "Hua Hsing?"

"You are all going to die."

The Seventh Heaven elder was also somewhat surprised. He had not expected Hua Hsing to be the first disciple to leave the maze. In the next moment, however, he noticed the skeleton inside the coffin.

"Who is he?" the Seventh Heaven elder asked.

"I don't know. I just discovered him as well," Hua Hsing said gravely.

"So many humans have come here to die," the skeleton said coldly, radiating a ferocious aura. "You will all die. The Yellow Spring Sect will rise again."

"Not good. Run."

No one knew who shouted it first, but in the next instant everyone scattered in panic. However, the skeleton's strength was obviously overwhelming. With only a slight movement of his bony hand, a blade of qi appeared directly before the crowd.

"What? A Qi Transforming Stage expert?"

Everyone was horrified and fled in all directions. Hua Hsing fled as well. None of them, all being in the Qi Refining Stage, could possibly contend with a Qi Transforming Stage expert.

"Die."

With a cold snort, the skeleton sent the qi blade slamming into several disciples. Instantly, their bodies were split in two, and the scene was exceedingly bloody.

"Run."

With a mere wave of his hand, he had killed several Qi Refining Stage Level Four disciples. At that sight, the faces of the Seventh Heaven elder and the others changed dramatically. At that moment, they were all racing toward the exit of the tomb chamber. On the far left side of the hall was a clearly visible exit. If they could escape, they might still have a slim chance of survival.

"You will all die."

The Bloody Skeleton's body creaked as it stepped out of the coffin. Then it spat out a cloud of mist that wrapped itself around several disciples. They let out miserable screams, and in an instant their bodies turned into piles of white bones, a terrifying sight.

Positioned directly in front of Hua Hsing, Sunn Yunjun and another disciple blocked his path. "Hua Hsing, you're staying here," Sunn Yunjun growled. He threw a punch that forced Hua Hsing back, then dashed toward the tomb's exit.

Pushed back, Hua Hsing tried to flee, but the overwhelming pressure of the Qi Transforming Stage immobilized him. "Am I really going to die here?" he thought, unwilling to accept his fate. As Hua Hsing wrestled with despair, a sudden mist enveloped him and seeped into his mind.

"With such strength at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage, you're a genius. I need someone like you," the Bloody Skeleton declared. The mist around Hua Hsing then dissipated instantly.

Hua Hsing's eyes turned vacant, and it was clear that he had fallen under the Bloody Skeleton's control.

"Move."

Seeing Hua Hsing subdued, Sunn Yunjun was seized by fear. He was only one step away from escaping, but the Bloody Skeleton did not give them any chance.

"You think you can escape from me? Impossible."

With a cold sneer, the Bloody Skeleton reached out and instantly seized both Sunn Yunjun and his companion.

"No," Sunn Yunjun cried, trying to resist, but it was futile. Once the mist enveloped them, their minds fell under control as well.

"Master."

Hua Hsing and the others bowed before the Bloody Skeleton.

"My injuries have not healed yet. From today on, you three are under my command. Follow my orders, and when the Yellow Spring Sect rises again, you will enjoy endless wealth and glory," the Bloody Skeleton rasped.

"Yes, Master," the three replied in unison.

Although one person had managed to escape, the Bloody Skeleton did not believe she could cause any trouble.

"Damn it. One escaped. It seems we cannot remain here much longer," the Bloody Skeleton muttered, then left the tomb with Hua Hsing and the others.

Jiaang Xue hurried away from the tomb, quickly putting distance between herself and the site. About an hour later, she had left the Liangyun Mountains and arrived in Liangyun City. Without stopping to rest, she headed straight for the Azure Edge Sword Sect.

Jiaang Xue's first task after returning to the Azure Edge Sword Sect was to find her mentor. Once she found Elder Ma and explained the situation, he fell into deep thought.

"Are you saying you discovered a Bloody Skeleton in the tomb claiming to be from the Yellow Spring Sect?" Elder Ma asked.

"I can't die here," Sunn Yunjun said, his face filled with shock as he fled at top speed. "Yes, Master. That Bloody Skeleton was at the Qi Transforming Stage. We were no match for it. Sunn Yunjun, Senior Brother Zhang, and the others were all killed. I barely escaped," Jiaang Xue said anxiously. "This is a serious matter. Do not speak of it to anyone else besides me."

​