Death Qi Evil Medicine

Within the Burial Grounds of Earth Immortals at Dragon Tiger Mountain, Yan Kuan, Monkey, and Old Crane cautiously flew airborne toward the large fissure in the Dragon Mountain cliff face. Thousands of hanging coffins were gathered here, all ancient relics, having existed for at least a millennium.

They attempted to open some of the hanging coffins. Inside were bone implements, jade artifacts, and wooden objects, but not a single metal Dharma artifact—without exception.

Old Crane spoke up beside them: "It matches the records indeed. Earth Immortals abhor metal; if metal is stored in the coffin, they cannot shed their mortal shell and ascend as immortals."

They examined them carefully. These hanging coffins should all belong to that Earth Immortal's disciples and followers, buried here alongside him.

They began to approach the Jade Coffin, advancing slowly and cautiously. After all, this was a legendary burial ground of an Earth Immortal, and they feared a world-ending killing mechanism. A faint, wispy fragrance seeped into their very bones, unceasing, intoxicating them to the point of floating bliss. They forcibly restrained themselves, not daring to act rashly.

Old Crane and the Third Valley Lord carefully inspected the many coffins, while Yan Kuan channeled the Empyrean Flame into his eyes, enhancing his Fiery Golden Eyes as he cautiously observed their surroundings.

The fissure in the Dragon Mountain cliff face was vast. The hanging coffins were densely packed, over two thousand in number, each arranged with great deliberation—all buried here were cultivators.

Every coffin was hollowed out from a massive tree trunk, mostly boat-shaped, which also matched the ancient records. The symbolism was to traverse the Sea of Bitterness of the mortal world and achieve liberation as an immortal.

"There are Beheading Kings here!"

Old Crane stared in horror at some of the ancient coffins. The remains inside were undecayed, their corporeal shells powerful, deathless and lifelike even after death, preserving their living state. All were Beheading cultivators.

Finally, they reached the depths of the stone crevice, arriving at the throat of Dragon Mountain. Observing up close, the ancient Jade Coffin was covered in dust, dim and lusterless, yet it seemed all the more mysterious.

A crystalline branch, vivid green as if about to drip, as thick as a child's arm and over a meter long, carved like green agate, translucent and glowing.

It lay horizontally atop the ancient Jade Coffin, emitting an irresistible fragrance. At its broken end, white liquid dew appeared, exuding an air of profound mystery.

Before coming here, Yan Kuan had specifically recalled the descriptions of this section, so he naturally knew that this branch was from the Ginseng Fruit Tree of Immortality. Unfortunately, it had been buried here to absorb deathly qi, transforming into a sinister medicine similar to Nethergrass. Consuming it would easily turn one into a half-dead, living-dead evil spirit.

Old Crane gazed at the Jade Coffin ahead, his heart filled with worry. Frowning, he said, "I've heard that even after death, the corpses of ancient sages are difficult to approach. The aura they emit can shake a Great Divine Power Expert to death."

Yan Kuan followed Old Crane's words: "The First Valley Lord is right. We must be careful in this regard. Let's first retreat to a safe place, then use a Dharma artifact to open the Jade Coffin."

The three discussed it and found the proposal feasible. Following Yan Kuan's guidance, they withdrew to a safe zone outside the Dragon Mouth. Then Old Crane, the highest in cultivation, sent a Dharma artifact flying before the Jade Coffin.

The Jade Coffin's light was dim, mysterious and unfathomable, carved by an ancient great power. Insects could not approach it, and spirits could not disturb it.

"Boom!"

The moment Old Crane's jade Dharma artifact touched the coffin lid, a streak of crimson light slashed out from the depths of the cliff crevice. Its cold radiance illuminated the Nine Provinces, dazzling and blinding.

Before Old Crane—a Transforming Dragon peak expert nearing the strength of a Great Divine Power Expert—could even react, the Dharma artifact he had been controlling exploded directly. This burial item, obtained from one of the hanging coffins, left not even a single fragment behind. After shattering, it continuously disintegrated into ash.

"Pfft!"

Old Crane's face flushed red, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood with a muffled sound. "What was that? It didn't seem like an attack from inside the coffin."

He had only caught a fleeting glimpse of a brilliant light.

Yan Kuan pointed to a certain place deep within Dragon Mountain. "This dragon vein has been nurtured to maturity. The ancient Jade Coffin is placed at the throat deep within the Dragon Mouth—that is where the dragon grows its reverse scale, a naturally formed killing divine light from the mountain's terrain."

He was now very glad he had brought Old Crane and Monkey along. If he had come alone, even with foreknowledge, without strong helpers to scout the path, things could easily go wrong. His cultivation was still too low.

"Could it be... there's no way for us to approach the coffin..."

The Third Valley Lord said with some reluctance. Having come this far, it would be truly regrettable to leave empty-handed.

"The tomb owner has no killing intent and didn't set down any vicious traps. It should be possible to get close and take a look, as long as we avoid the Dragon Mountain Reverse Scale Killing Light," Yan Kuan said, then looked at Monkey and Old Crane. "But our cultivation is too low and our means insufficient. We'll have to try again and again to measure the attack range of that divine light. That will require you two to control the Dharma artifacts."

Old Crane and Monkey exchanged glances and nodded. So, the Dharma artifacts and items they had previously retrieved from various hanging coffins were temporarily refined by the two of them. Then, from different directions, they attempted to move the Jade Coffin.

Boom, boom, boom, boom—the sounds rang out continuously. One Dharma artifact after another shattered into ash. However, with the initial experience, Monkey and Old Crane withdrew their divine sense before the Dharma artifact was hit and destroyed. Though they still suffered some damage, they no longer coughed blood every time.

After nearly a hundred such attempts, Old Crane and Monkey's faces were deathly pale. Finally, Yan Kuan managed to find a suitable route. They avoided the reverse scale terrain and once again approached the Jade Coffin.

"Could this be... the legendary Undying Divine Medicine?"

Monkey, the most impatient of the three, reached out eagerly toward the verdant Divine Tree Branch the moment he stood before the Jade Coffin.

"Careful!"

The instant Monkey grasped the Divine Tree Branch, he shuddered and froze stiff. Yan Kuan's hand, wreathed in Empyrean Flame, struck sharply, knocking his hand away. Monkey collapsed to the ground, hurriedly circulating his divine power. After a moment, he spat out a mouthful of yin-cold netherwater.

"This tree has a problem."

Monkey looked at the branch with lingering fear. The moment he had gripped it, a surge of cold qi invaded his body, freezing him solid. If Yan Kuan hadn't acted in time, even if he survived, he would have been severely ill.

This treasure tree, seemingly lush and vibrant, full of life like a green jade heart, was in fact bitterly cold and filled with deathly qi.

Yan Kuan's right hand released the Empyrean Flame, carefully enveloping the Undying Divine Medicine branch. He gradually melted away the surface cold, making it no longer so icy to the touch and dangerous, then set it aside.

Yan Kuan put down the divine medicine branch and said, "That Earth Immortal left a section of the Divine Tree Branch here, using it to absorb all the deathly qi from the corpses in these hanging coffins, hoping to help them become Ghost Immortals.

The deathly qi from these thousands of hanging coffins has been completely absorbed by the Divine Tree Branch, causing it to become mixed with yin-evil death qi, turning it into a sinister medicine akin to Nethergrass. Though it still has longevity effects, it also carries the medicinal power to corrupt the flesh."

"So... the Divine Tree Branch can't be used as medicine?"

Monkey and Old Crane were both filled with regret. A branch of the Undying Divine Medicine—this was a sacred object of longevity that even Imperial Dao Supremes craved.