“You mean that there's a secret chamber below?” Yun Jiuge was excited. For Qiu Sen to go to such great lengths to hide something surely meant that it was of immense value.
“Take a step back first,” Zi Shang said. Yun Jiuge moved to the side of the door. Zi Shang began to draw curvy runes that floated in the air, on the bottom of the medicine cabinet.
When the last rune was drawn, a small spell barrier glowed and emitted a faint green color.
The heavy-looking medicine cabinet began to slowly levitate, revealing the dirty red ground beneath.
The ground was covered with b.l.o.o.d.y spiritual Yin runes that looked like multiple pairs of cold, dark, warning eyes that stared at the intruders.
Zi Shang had done a little research on the Yin Spiritual Technique. This allowed him to summon pure purple gas that covered the runes while looking for its weakest entry point.
Eventually, the runic eyes seemed to fall under a hypnotic spell and they slowly shut their eyes.
All of a sudden, the ground split open, and a blood-red coffin ascended from the chasm. Its surface was engraved with Yin Spiritual runes that resembled blood-red chains. It exuded an extremely nauseating smell.
Yun Jiuge hastily swallowed a Detoxifying Poison and an Evil Spirits Repellent elixirs, and immediately felt a little better. She then turned to Zi Shang and said, “This coffin looks peculiar.”
“The Yin Spiritual runes written here are Soul Nouris.h.i.+ng symbols. They use the spiritual power of blood to nurture incomplete souls,” Zi Shang explained as he circled the coffin a few times. He was examining it thoroughly to find a safe way to open it.
“Do you think that Qiu Sen's true Yin Corpse is in here?” Yun Jiuge asked excitedly.
No one in the Yin Corpse Sect had ever seen Elder Qiu Sen's true Yin Corpse.
“Open it, then we will know.” Zi Shang instilled his purple-colored demon powers into the coffin and quickly figured out a way to open it. He used his powers and managed to slide open the lid.
A refres.h.i.+ng and extremely pleasant scent wafted out of the coffin. It was the scent of the Blood Lotus flower.
Yun Jiuge could not resist the temptation and bent down to take a closer look, only to be shocked.
What lay inside was not a Yin Corpse but an incredibly beautiful young lady dressed in a sky-green gown.
She was truly a beauty to behold; just looking at her would fill you with happiness. Her complexion was porcelain white, her eyes were picturesque, and her brows looked as if they were drawn on. Her nose was slim and feminine, her rosy lips were turned up slightly at the corners, making her seem like she was smiling, and her jaw was delicate and pet.i.te.
But the most intriguing fact was that this young lady's Core Formation cultivation was in its final stage.
Knowing Qiu Sen's character, he would have already cultivated such a good item into a Yin Corpse, so why was it placed here?
Unable to resist any further, Yun Jiuge closely inspected the young lady once more and came to the realization that Si Youyue's jaw was somewhat similar to this young lady's. Could this be why Qiu Sen pampered Si Youyue so much?
Then what was the relations.h.i.+p between this lady and Qiu Sen? Could they be lovers?
“This woman's soul has been taken by someone,” Zi Shang said as he furrowed his brows. Cultivators in their last stages of Core Formation have the ability to self-destruct when in dire situations, so to have their soul taken by someone was incredibly difficult. Unless, of course, it was by a monstrous old nascent soul.
“Could it have been taken by Qiu Sen?” asked Yun Jiuge as she envisioned the sc.u.mbag in her mind.
It was a great possibility since Elder Mo Hua was so ruthless.
“I don't think it was him,” said Zi Shang, shaking his head. “Just look at the water in the coffin. It's filled with melted Blood Lotus flowers. There's no need to take someone's soul away and then go through all the trouble to protect their body.”
Yun Jiuge suddenly realized that the amber-colored solution was made of melted Blood Lotus flowers.
In the Lei Kingdom, the Bloodthirsty Sect had helped Qiu Sen grow these flowers. Each year, they had to kill countless people just to allow ten flowers to mature. She did not expect Qiu Sen to use the precious flowers to preserve a body.
But to Yun Jiuge, the most astonis.h.i.+ng fact was that there was a ball of silk-like item clenched tightly in the girl's hand.
If she guessed correctly, it was a treasure map.
Yun Jiuge could not resist reaching out her hand to grab the map, but Zi Shang quickly stopped her. “Don't touch her! She might turn into a corpse.”
“She'll turn into a corpse? Didn't you say she wasn't a Yin Corpse?” Yun Jiuge retracted her hand as she asked.
“Look carefully at what else is in the water.” Zi Shang helped Yun Jiuge to open her spiritual eye.
Upon closer inspection, Yun Jiuge came to realize that a swarm of invisible maggots was packed tightly together, seemingly forming a chain-like pattern that was similar to the Yin Spiritual runes on the surface of the coffin.
“Those are higher order corpse maggots. If you touch this lady, those maggots will immediately cover her body and utilize her late-stage Core Formation cultivation to fight you to death,” Zi Shang explained.
“Then forget it!” Yun Jiuge only came in to take a peek. She did not want to cause any problems.
“Even though we can't take it, we can still look at it.” Zi Shang wiggled his finger, and the silk piece came flying towards Yun Jiuge's face as if it had a life of its own.
The treasure map was as large as three palms.
Yun Jiuge took out the treasure maps she got from the Crown Prince and the sisters of the Ye Family, to compare them with this new one. Indeed, she could piece them together to form half of a complete map. Only four pieces were left to be retrieved.
“I want it.” Yun Jiuge was ecstatic. As long as she could have the treasure map, she was not afraid of how big a commotion it would cause.
“Now is not the time.” Zi Shang shook his head. He wiggled his finger once more and returned the treasure map into the young lady's hands.
“Alright, then.” Yun Jiuge felt a little disappointed, but she was not overly distraught.
Since she already knew where to find it, she could always come back to get the treasure map piece when she had the chance.
“Let's go back.” Zi Shang returned everything to its original state then led Yun Jiuge out of the secret chamber and back to the center of the previous room.
Suddenly, Elder Mo Hua's enraged voice bellowed from the sky above.
“How dare you play tricks on me, an old lady. You d.a.m.ned rascal! Yun Jiu, you really are brazen! Don't think you can hide in Qiu Ren Peak. The moment I lay my hands on you, I'll skin you alive!” The angry tone in her voice made it seem as if Yun Jiuge had tricked her of everything she ever owned.
Yun Jiuge felt incredibly wronged. How did she betray her when she had never promised to be the old Elder Mo Hua's plaything.
“Yun Jiu, do not be afraid. You can rest a.s.sured and go out. This old man will cover for you,” Elder Bai Gu said in a warm and sincere manner. He was standing behind Elder Mo Hua. “Everything will be fine as long as you give me the Xuan Yin White Bone Monkey. After all, you can't even summon that precious baby's full power, so why not just exchange it for something more suited for you. Maybe a suitable technique or even a weapon? Or maybe a few Foundation Pills. I have three pills with me right now. I can give them all to you if you want.”
“Old man Bai Gu,” Elder Mo Hua erupted furiously. “Are you trying to steal my disciple from me?”
“Stop vexing, Mo Hua. I will find you an even better disciple as an apology to your Ink Flower Palace when I return!” Elder Bai Gu retorted.
“Do you think I care?” Elder Mo Hua was unimpressed.
“Come on. All the disciples of Yin Corpse Sect are listening. Can't you spare me some humility since we are such old friends…” Elder Bai Gu was using his sentimental card.
With how these two were working so harmoniously together, hand in hand, it seemed like they were actually concerned for Yun Jiuge's well-being.