"Elder Huang, what do you mean?"
Old Daoist Huang's words left Xu Taiping stunned, unable to quite take them in.
"Hiss... huff..."
Old Daoist Huang drew a deep breath, then slowly exhaled before looking solemnly at Xu Taiping.
"The Jade Pillows in this Bronze Box seem capable of sending our souls straight into the Netherworld."
Xu Taiping's heart shook violently. Disbelief filled his face as he asked:
"Elder Huang, are you certain that wasn't an illusion?"
Old Daoist Huang shook his head firmly.
"No illusion technique in this world can deceive a Heaven-Connecting Realm Qi-Reading Practitioner."
Xu Taiping immediately felt a chill run through him.
Old Daoist Huang then added:
"If you don't believe me, you can try placing your hand on that Jade Pillow."
He immediately added:
"Don't worry. I'll push your hand away at once."
After a brief moment of thought, Xu Taiping nodded.
"I'll try."
He chose one of the Jade Pillows and gently rested his hand on it.
"Boom...!"
Almost the instant Xu Taiping placed his hand on the Jade Pillow, a tremor rang through his divine soul, audible to him alone, and his surroundings abruptly changed.
A world of gray and white, filled with the incessant echoes of cawing crows and anguished screams, suddenly appeared around Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping's heart sank at once.
"Is... is this the Netherworld Yellow Springs?"
Just as horror filled him, he heard a slap, and something landed on his shoulder.
Looking down, he saw a dripping-wet, pitch-black Rotting Hand.
At the same time, an old man's hoarse voice sounded behind him:
"Mmm, it's been so long since I last smelled such fresh, tender flesh..."
Xu Taiping spun around.
A rotting head opened a great mouth full of sharp teeth and lunged to bite him.
"Boom...!"
Xu Taiping instinctively tried