C24 Chapter 24

"Elder, what should we do now?" Jiaang Xue asked.

Having narrowly escaped from the Bloody Skeleton, Jiaang Xue felt deeply relieved. However, Elder Ma did not know that the reason she had managed to escape was because of Zhang Bofeng.

"Stay at the sect for now. I need to go out for a while," Elder Ma said, and then he left.

As he hurried along, Elder Ma thought to himself that, years ago, they had joined forces to wipe out the Yellow Spring Sect, yet some of its members had apparently survived. He wondered whether this member of the Yellow Spring Sect possessed the Nine-Turns Yellow Spring Technique.

Many years earlier, the Yellow Spring Sect had developed rapidly and soon became one of the most powerful sects on the Ancient Sword Continent. However, because it was an evil organization, all the forces on the Ancient Sword Continent united to destroy it. In the end, the Yellow Spring Sect was eradicated, and its sect master and all its disciples were killed.

Back then, the reason the Yellow Spring Sect had been able to dominate the Ancient Sword Continent was that it possessed a technique renowned across the continent, one that caused countless martial artists to tremble in fear: the Nine-Turns Yellow Spring Technique. It was said that anyone who obtained the Nine-Turns Yellow Spring Technique would experience a dramatic increase in strength and might even have a chance to stand at the very peak of the Ancient Sword Continent.

However, the Nine-Bend Yellow Spring Art was a vicious cultivation technique. Ordinary martial artists who practiced it would inevitably suffer damage to their minds. Yet disciples of the Yellow Spring Sect did not experience such side effects. The sect had been destroyed long ago, and even Elder Ma had only heard of it from others. Now that he had once again heard of a disciple of the Yellow Spring Sect appearing, he could not help but be tempted. The reason he had stopped Jiaang Xue from speaking openly about the Yellow Spring Sect was that he wanted to go alone to the tomb, kill the sect disciple, and see whether he could obtain the Nine-Bend Yellow Spring Art. "As long as I can obtain the Nine-Bend Yellow Spring Art, I can become the strongest person in the entire Azure Edge Sword Sect, and even in Azure Cloud County," Elder Ma thought, a burning light flashing through his eyes.

Two days later, Elder Ma appeared in the Liangyun Mountain Range, 100 miles outside Liangyun City. Following the route Jiaang Xue had provided, he went directly to that mountain peak. After sensing the area for a moment, he discovered the tomb underground. "Here it is." Upon entering the tomb, Elder Ma found himself trapped in a maze. "Child's play," he scoffed, waving his hand. A surge of powerful spiritual energy transformed into a violent blast and struck the walls of the maze. In an instant, the maze was destroyed, and a coffin appeared before him.

Elder Ma noticed a trace of evil aura continuously seeping from the coffin, and a smile spread across his face. "It really is the aura of the Yellow Spring Sect." He quickly walked toward the coffin. However, when he reached it, he found it empty. "What's going on? Did I frighten it away? Has the Bloody Skeleton already left?" Elder Ma wondered, puzzled. Just then, a hoarse voice echoed in his ears. "Are you looking for me?"

As the voice faded, the Bloody Skeleton appeared inside the tomb, followed by three figures: Sunn Yunjun, the Seventh Day, and Hua Hsing. "So, you're just a minor character from the Yellow Spring Sect. It looks like you've put these three under your control," Elder Ma said with a sneer. As a warrior at the Qi Transformation Stage, Elder Ma had no fear of the Bloody Skeleton, who was at the same level. "You're courting death," he said coldly.

The Bloody Skeleton let out a cold snort and ordered the three people behind him to launch a fierce attack on Elder Ma. "Child's play," Elder Ma said disdainfully as he swung his long sword. Sword light filled the tomb, making the entire chamber tremble. Three beams of sword light pierced through Sunn Yunjun and the other two, sending them flying backward. Hua Hsing's body slammed heavily against the wall of the tomb. Blood spurted from his mouth, and his face turned deathly pale.

"Useless." Seeing this, the Bloody Skeleton snorted in contempt and made his move. The moment he attacked, a terrifying aura erupted from his body. He clenched his fists, his bones crackling, and a powerful burst of energy gathered around him. Elder Ma and the Bloody Skeleton immediately became locked in a fierce battle, while Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Day stood quietly to the side with blank expressions.

At this moment, Hua Hsing had just struggled back to his feet. He spat out another mouthful of blood, his eyes slightly unfocused, and prepared to move toward Sunn Yunjun. Suddenly, his Golden Heart began to beat rapidly, and a stream of clarity surged forth. Instead of spreading throughout Hua Hsing's body, it all flowed directly into his mind.

"What's going on? Did I alert the enemy and cause the Bloody Skeleton to leave?" Elder Ma wondered, puzzled. At that moment, a hoarse voice drifted into his ears. "Are you looking for me?" As soon as the voice faded, the Bloody Skeleton appeared inside the tomb. Behind him followed three figures: Sunn Yunjun, the Seventh Day, and Hua Hsing. "I was wondering who it was. So it's just some minor character from the Yellow Spring Sect. It looks like the three of them have had their minds controlled by you," Elder Ma said with a cold sneer. Elder Ma was also a powerhouse at the Qi Transforming Stage, so when facing the Bloody Skeleton, who was at the same stage, he showed no fear at all. "You are courting death."

The Bloody Skeleton let out a cold snort and gave a direct order. Instantly, the three figures behind him erupted with fierce attacks and moved to besiege Elder Ma. "Tricks like this are useless." Elder Ma shouted in a low voice as the long sword in his hand slashed through the air. Rays of sword light burst forth, making the entire tomb tremble. Three rays of sword light pierced into the bodies of Sunn Yunjun, the Seventh Day, and Hua Hsing, sending all three flying backward at once. Hua Hsing's body slammed heavily against the wall of the tomb. He coughed up blood, and his face turned deathly pale. "Useless trash." Seeing this, the Bloody Skeleton snorted disdainfully. At the same time, he made his move. The moment the Bloody Skeleton attacked, he unleashed terrifying power. He clenched his fist, his bones cracking, and a vast fist shadow appeared.

Elder Ma and the Bloody Skeleton engaged in a fierce battle, while Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Day stood motionless with dull expressions. Hua Hsing had just struggled to his feet and spat out another mouthful of blood. His gaze was vacant as he prepared to walk toward Sunn Yunjun. Suddenly, the Golden Heart began to beat rapidly several times. Immediately afterward, a stream of clear energy appeared. After emerging, it did not spread through Hua Hsing's limbs and body. Instead, it all rushed into his mind. Once there, this stream launched an assault on the small dark spot in Hua Hsing's consciousness. His face was full of struggle, though no one else noticed. In a flash, Hua Hsing's body trembled violently, and his eyes suddenly brightened. "Thank goodness for the Golden Heart, or I'd have become the Bloody Skeleton's puppet," Hua Hsing thought with a shiver of relief. If it weren't for the Golden Heart helping him at the crucial moment, he might already have become the Bloody Skeleton's puppet.

Hua Hsing glanced subtly at Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Day, noticing that they were still expressionless. "Looks like they weren't as lucky as I was," Hua Hsing thought. He pretended to remain under control while quickly devising an escape plan in his mind. Inside the tomb, the battle between the two had reached a fever pitch. "Damn it. If I weren't still injured, I would have finished you off by now," the Bloody Skeleton snarled in frustration. "Remnant of the Yellow Spring Sect, today is the day you die," Elder Ma shouted, and the two clashed once more. As time passed, Hua Hsing slowly and subtly edged toward the tomb's exit. After about 15 minutes, he seized the moment. His figure flickered, and he dashed out of the tomb.

When Hua Hsing vanished, the Bloody Skeleton, locked in fierce combat, realized he had lost contact with him and was shocked. "Go bring him back," the Bloody Skeleton ordered while continuing to fight. "Yes, Master." Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Day quickly left the tomb to search for Hua Hsing.

After leaving the tomb, Hua Hsing sped into the distance and soon left the mountain peak far behind. When he finally arrived within the boundaries of Liang Yuncheng, he breathed a sigh of relief. Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Day searched for him for a long time without success. Shaking their heads, they eventually returned to the tomb. Meanwhile, inside the tomb, the battle had ended. The Bloody Skeleton sat cross-legged, bearing several wounds. In front of him stood Elder Ma, his expression blank and devoid of emotion. "You old fool, if it weren't for this treasure, I wouldn't have been able to deal with you," the Bloody Skeleton said, holding a triangular piece of iron. It was this very object that had allowed him to defeat and control Elder Ma. Despite his injuries, the Bloody Skeleton was pleased, because he had gained a puppet at the Qi Transforming Stage.

In a flash, Hua Hsing's body trembled violently, and his eyes instantly lit up. "Thank goodness for the Golden Heart, or I really would have become the Bloody Skeleton's puppet," he thought, a wave of fear washing over him. If the Golden Heart had not helped him at that critical moment, he would likely already have fallen under the Bloody Skeleton's control. Keeping his expression steady, Hua Hsing glanced at Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Heaven and found that both remained dull and vacant. "It seems they didn't have my luck," he thought. He pretended to remain under control, letting his eyes turn vacant once more, while his mind raced to find a way to escape.

Inside the tomb, the battle between the two fighters had reached a fever pitch. "Damn it! If my injuries had fully healed, I would have killed you already," the Bloody Skeleton roared in fury. "Remnant of the Yellow Spring Sect, today will be your last day," Elder Ma shouted as the two clashed once again. As time passed little by little, Hua Hsing quietly inched his way toward the tomb's exit. After about 15 minutes, he finally found his chance. With a flash of movement, he shot straight out of the tomb.

The moment Hua Hsing disappeared, the Bloody Skeleton, still locked in fierce combat, realized that his connection with Hua Hsing had been severed and was instantly alarmed. "Go bring him back," the Bloody Skeleton ordered as he fought. "Yes, Master," came the reply. Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Heaven quickly left the tomb to search for Hua Hsing.

After leaving the tomb, Hua Hsing sped into the distance, and before long he had completely left the mountain where the tomb was located. When he entered the region of Liangyun City, he finally let out a sigh of relief. Sunn Yunjun and the Seventh Heaven searched for a long time but failed to find Hua Hsing. Shaking their heads, they eventually returned to the tomb.

By then, the battle inside the tomb had already ended. The Bloody Skeleton sat cross-legged, several wounds visible on his body. In front of him stood Elder Ma, motionless, his eyes vacant and his face utterly expressionless. "Old fool, if I didn't have this treasure, I really wouldn't have been able to deal with you," the Bloody Skeleton said. As he spoke, he took out a triangular piece of iron.

It was because of this iron shard that the Bloody Skeleton defeated Elder Ma and brought him under control. Although he had suffered some injuries, the Bloody Skeleton was still delighted, because today he had obtained a puppet at the Qi Transforming Stage.

"That boy got away. I shouldn't stay here for long," the Bloody Skeleton thought. At the mention of Hua Hsing, he ground his teeth in hatred, but in the end, he still left the tomb with his three puppets.

​