The thought had barely crossed Zhang Yu's mind before he dismissed it. This was not the Left Army Marquis of the Divine Commandery Army from his memories, but someone whose build, appearance, bearing, and demeanor all greatly resembled that man.
The resemblance was only Zhang Yu's own judgment. If anyone else had seen them—even someone once most familiar with that Left Army Marquis—they would likely have believed the two to be the same person.
His figure blurred, and he passed through the stone door, stepping directly into the spacious stone-cavern hall beyond. The moment he entered, he sensed the faint Turbid Tide that had been present suddenly vanish, as if it had been sealed outside.
His gaze flickered slightly as he walked forward along a dust-covered stone path running by the cliff wall, arriving near the man. Yet the man remained motionless, half-kneeling there.
He took another step and came before the man, studying him once more.
There was no living aura on this person, yet neither was there any sign of decay. It was as though only his soul had departed, leaving behind an empty shell.
The man wore no clothes. His exposed muscles and bones formed smooth, powerful lines, without a single visible flaw—almost perfect.
Before his death, this person had at least reached the level of a second-chapter cultivator. The toughness of his body was not merely no less than Ning Kunlun's had been; it might even have surpassed it.
Logically, not even blood brothers could look so alike. But if some supernatural power had influenced them, then it was no surprise.
Zhang Yu pondered inwardly. This was very likely because of that broken stone slab. Perhaps anyone who gained power from it would eventually become like this.
There were also scraps of ruined fabric on the