The Black Willow Coffin

Though Liu Ding was a fool, he was still, at the very least, the nominal grandson of the clan patriarch. Seeing his small human form completely shielded by Liu Ding, the Hall of Law Enforcement disciples were caught between a rock and a hard place. They could only turn to Liu Yandong for instructions.

Under the eyes of the crowd, Liu Yandong sighed inwardly. Even if he doted on his family, there had to be a limit. With a wave of his hand, a surge of imprisoning Cauldron Qi erupted and trapped Liu Ding.

Clang! Clang!

Heavy Mystic Iron Shackles locked Xiao Zhi's delicate hands and feet. Her hair hung loose and disheveled as she was dragged away unsteadily. Reaching out a helpless little hand, she cried, "Liu Ding, save me!"

"Xiao Zhi!" Liu Ding shouted miserably, reaching out with a helpless hand as well.

Many sympathetic clansmen turned their faces away, unable to bear the sight.

"Grandpa, please, don't take Xiao Zhi away. It's all Ding'er's fault. I was the one who told her to come bathe with me." Watching helplessly as Xiao Zhi was dragged out of the ancestral hall, Liu Ding finally thought of the one person who could save his Xiao Zhi.

The corner of Liu Yandong's mouth twitched. Foolish child, Grandpa was saving your white fox. Didn't he understand?

But how could Liu Ding, with his incomplete soul, think of so much? Agitated as he was, and with his cultivation having just been forcibly interrupted midway, he could endure no longer. With a puff, he spat out a torrent of blood.

Liu Chengwu, who cared for him most in the ancestral hall, hurried forward and seized Liu Ding's wrist to check his pulse. He looked up in shock. "This is bad. He has suffered a Demonic Fire Affliction!"

Liu Yandong rushed over at once and sent Cauldron Qi into Liu Ding, but it was still futile. Liu Ding's breath was as faint as a thread, his life hanging by a thread.

A pleased look secretly surfaced on Nie Zhengxu's aged face. All along, during the preparations for his grandson's struggle for the patriarch's position, he had felt a knot in his heart. So it had been this foolish Liu Ding all along.

At such a young age, he had been able to soak in the medicinal liquid of the Cauldron King Soul Pill from the Seven Soul-Forging Cauldrons. Even if he was not a true Soul Forging Martial Apprentice, his physical strength was still terrifying. No wonder he had remained undefeated in his clashes with the clan youths all these years.

So the mystery lay in soaking the body in medicinal liquid. Secretly thrilled, Nie Zhengxu trembled all over. Unable to wait any longer, he flicked his sleeve and hurried back to his private residence.

The moment he entered, Liu Ji grabbed hold of him and said excitedly, "Grandpa, did they catch that white fox girl? Is she beautiful? I really like her. Can I—"

"Get lost!" The excitement filling Nie Zhengxu's heart instantly vanished. He kicked Liu Ji to the ground. "Useless trash! She is merely a transformed demon beast, yet she has bewitched you out of your wits. Once you break through the shackles of the Liu Clan's Soul Forging Martial Apprentice rank and become a Law Soul Warrior, when you step into the vast world beyond, what beauties could you not have?"

"Grandpa, you forgot. Since she can transform, she must be a true spirit beast. If she willingly sacrifices her soul to me, just think of what that would mean," Liu Ji could not help revealing the darkest secret buried in his heart.

Smash! The teacup Nie Zhengxu had just picked up fell to the floor. He stood there dumbstruck.

Above the Soul Forging Realm and the Law Soul Realm lay the even more powerful Beast Soul Realm. Upon cultivating into a Beast Soul Grandmaster, one could refine a beast soul as a sacrifice and fuse it into one's body, gaining powerful Soulforce.

Although the Liu Clan could not break through the shackles of the Soul Forging Realm and could not even touch the threshold of the Law Soul Realm, that did not mean they knew nothing of the outside world, where the Beast Soul Realm and even higher realms existed.

More importantly, if a cultivator could obtain the willing soul sacrifice of a spirit beast capable of transforming, then even if they could not break through to the Beast Soul Realm, they could still possess abilities equivalent to those of a Beast Soul Grandmaster.

"My good Ji grandson, why didn't you say so earlier? I thought you had been bewitched. What was so interesting about a green little girl? Liu Tao was countless times better than her." Nie Zhengxu gave Liu Ji's shoulder a heavy slap. To an old hand like him, someone voluptuous like Liu Tao was the true object of passion.

Liu Ji did not know whether to laugh or cry. Though he had once thought Liu Tao beautiful as well, the fleeting splendor of the white fox's transformation had completely eclipsed her. Though she was still young and unripe, it was hard to imagine how stunning she would be when fully grown—beautiful enough to topple kingdoms, a calamity incarnate.

"No, I need to sound out those old fellows. That spirit beast demon girl—Grandpa will secure her for you." Nie Zhengxu hurried off to bribe the Council of Elders, more anxious than a eunuch worrying over the emperor's affairs.

Though quite a few cold-hearted elders like Nie Zhengxu had left the ancestral hall, some remained behind. Yet even after everyone worked through the entire night, they still could not wake the deeply unconscious Liu Ding.

At last, the elders who had remained said apologetically, "Patriarch Yandong, we have done all we can."

"Thank you. Everyone, disperse." Liu Yandong waved his hand, dismissing the clansmen before carrying Liu Ding back to his daughter-in-law's residence.

"Patriarch, you're here." Zhu'er opened the door and froze. Then she saw Liu Ding's paper-white face and cried out in alarm, "Young Master Ding'er, what happened to him?"

Liu Yandong was utterly exhausted. Powerlessly waving a hand, he said, "Follow my instructions. Personally lead people to Bleser City to find renowned physicians. Ding'er is burning badly inside, and we cannot bring down his temperature."

"Ah, he's burning so hot!" Zhu'er touched Liu Ding's forehead and was terrified. Her heart aflame with anxiety, she hurriedly prepared a horse and set off.

Fortunately, the Liu Clan was not far from Bleser City. An hour later, Zhu'er had brought back several renowned physicians, who gathered beside Liu Ding's bed.

Acupuncture, ice compresses, medicine—they exhausted every method. They worked for a full day, yet still failed to lower Liu Ding's scorching body temperature.

"Get out! You quacks can't even cure a fever. Change professions before you harm anyone else!" Liu Yandong roared.

The several physicians were deeply ashamed. Bowing their heads, they hurried out of the Liu Clan, not even daring to mention their payment.

As night deepened, Liu Yandong watched Zhu'er working busily at the bedside, constantly laying cold, wet towels over Liu Ding. With a sigh, he said, "Zhu'er, go get some sleep first."

"Patriarch..." Zhu'er still wanted to stay, but upon seeing Liu Yandong's stern gaze, she could only bow and withdraw. "Then, Patriarch, call for me anytime you need me."

Looking at the unconscious Liu Ding, Liu Yandong was speechless for a long while. In that instant, he felt as though he had aged greatly.

Just as despair had taken hold of him, the door silently opened, and a black-cloaked figure flashed inside.

"Who is it?" Though drained and haggard, Liu Yandong still reacted swiftly. He spun around and fixed his gaze on the uninvited guest.

"Someone here to save your grandson," the cloaked figure said calmly.

"Who are you?" Liu Yandong did not lower his guard.

"Who I am is unimportant. What matters is that if your grandson is not treated soon, he will not survive the night." The cloaked figure's voice remained as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.

"You must have a name," Liu Yandong said. Before him stood an old man with a weathered face, his entire body concealed beneath his cloak. He was exceedingly strange. Uneasy, Liu Yandong summoned Cauldron Qi and swept it over the man from head to toe.

The Cloaked Elder accepted the inspection without resistance. "If you need a name, you may call me General Jiang."

"General Jiang? What a strange name." Liu Yandong pondered. "Are you certain you can treat my Ding'er?"

"We must try." General Jiang's gaze was profound. "You have no other choice."

That was right. I have no other choice. Liu Yandong was despondent. After a moment of silence, he said, "Fine, I'll leave him to you. What reward do you want? But while you treat him, you must not leave my sight."

"A reward? Give whatever you wish. I will not make things difficult for you. I need you to carry Liu Ding to the clan's highest watchtower. You can wait beneath the tower. Does that count as not leaving your sight?" General Jiang turned toward the window. Outside stood a dim everlasting lamp, marking the Liu Clan's watchtower.

"Fine." Liu Yandong made his decision at once. He picked up Liu Ding. Employ people without doubting them; if you doubt them, do not employ them. As clan patriarch, he naturally possessed such decisiveness.

After Liu Yandong descended from the watchtower, General Jiang turned to face Liu Ding. A smile appeared on his face as he reached out a dry hand and gently stroked Liu Ding's little face. "So young. I hope you make good use of these youthful years and disappear in a way that satisfies me."

Having said that, he produced an object from within his cloak. It was none other than the Black Willow Coffin that had once buried Liu Ding.