Undying Body

Master Jinlian didn't look any further. After landing, she kicked Hengyuan, who was about to turn around to save the person, and shouted, "Chu Yuanzhen, take Hengyuan away!"

"The rest of you should quickly evacuate the main tomb."

Having said that, he turned around and created a gust of wind, which deflected the thrown spears. The spears, which were wrapped in Yin Qi, exploded and corroded the Golden Lotus Daoist's body.

His face suddenly turned pale, and his physical body almost transformed into a yin entity on the spot.

Taking advantage of this gap, the members of the Houtu Gang escaped from the main tomb with Chu Yuanzhen and Zhong Li. Hengyuan was ambushed by Chu Yuanzhen, who sealed his meridians and forcibly took him away.

Master Jinlian ceased fighting, leaving a trail of afterimages as she instantly fled.

Bang!

The main tomb's stone door was closed.

"You are not the lord, how dare you seize the lord's fortune?"

The yellow-robed mummy raised its arms high, lifting Xu Qi'an into the air, its dark purple mouth spewing out eerie, sinister Yin Qi.

The temperature in the entire tomb chamber plummeted, and frost covered the high platform and stone steps. Amidst the clattering sound, the water pits on both sides of the passage froze into ice.

Golden lacquer lit up between Xu Qi'an's brows, quickly covering his face and moving downwards. However, the mummified corpse was choking him at the neck, blocking the golden lacquer from covering his body. He then activated his Invincible Body.

"You lowly ant, how dare you steal the fortune of your lord! I will make sure you never reincarnate, I will devour your flesh and blood, chew your bones, and then suppress your soul in the tomb."

"May they suffer torment for all eternity."

The yellow-robed mummy flew into a rage, its mouth splitting open to reveal a set of sharp, interlocking fangs.

Then, he bit down on Xu Qi'an's neck.

When!

The sound of chiseling steel rang out, but the teeth that could easily crush fine steel failed to pierce Xu Qi'an's flesh. Sometime later, the gold paint broke through the restraints of his palms, dyeing his neck a brilliant gold.

The gold paint quickly spread, covering Xu Qi'an's entire body.

A dazzling golden statue, as radiant as the sun, appeared, its golden glow illuminating every corner of the main tomb.

It was as if a god had descended.

"You insignificant evil spirit, how dare you be so presumptuous before this humble monk?"

The first half of the sentence was Xu Qi'an's voice, but the second half of the sentence had a different tone and was clearly spoken by someone else.

Like a god incarnate, Xu Qi'an reached out and slowly pried open the fingers of the yellow-robed corpse. He could have easily used force, but he chose this slow, demonstrative method.

The yellow-robed mummy's arm trembled slightly; with his strength, he was not enough to contend with the opponent.

When!

The yellow-robed mummy's other hand pierced Xu Qi'an's chest, but still couldn't break through the golden body's defense. Suddenly, it clenched its fist, changing from stabbing to striking, and in a deafening explosion of energy, it sent Xu Qi'an flying.

"Roar"

The yellow-robed mummy opened its blood-red maw, transforming into a deep, insatiable vortex. The four mummy figures on the high platform were pulled by the vortex and stumbled into its gaping maw.

Next came two rows of ghostly soldiers on the steps, who rose into the air one by one and were either forced or willing to enter the mouths of the mummies.

With a "crunch, crunch" sound as it chewed, the yellow-robed mummified corpse swelled up, its jet-black fingernails lengthened, its shriveled flesh expanded, and chunks of horny protrusions, resembling armor, covered its entire body.

A thick, dark green mane grew on its head.

It transformed into a humanoid monster ten feet tall.

The now drastically altered, yellow-robed mummy stood on the high platform, looking up at the gleaming golden body floating in mid-air, and said in a muffled voice:

"A lowly ant could seize such fortune; it turns out a martial artist resides within me. It seems I've been dormant for far too long; such a powerful physique has appeared in this world."

"It is Buddhist School golden statue," Monk Shenshu replied.

"Buddhist School?" The monster tilted its head, its fierce eyes scrutinizing the golden statue.

"Oh, you don't know about Buddhist School? It seems it has existed for a very long time," Monk Shenshu said calmly. "Coincidentally, I also dislike Buddhist School."

In mid-air, a golden shockwave exploded, and he crashed down like a meteorite.

Bang!

The two men pressed their palms together, wrestling on the high platform. This platform, which had stood for countless years, continuously emitted crisp cracking sounds, and cracks spread and meandered.

Finally, with a loud "boom," it collapsed completely.

The golden body and the mummified corpse fell simultaneously. The latter headbutted the golden body on the forehead, scattering golden light like fragments and making the golden body dizzy.

Bang bang bang bang!

The mummified corpse's punches were so fast they left afterimages, constantly striking the golden body's chest and forehead, sending up shards of golden light.

The golden body clamped down on the mummified corpse's wrists, and the corpse cried out in pain, "It hurts, it hurts so much, Master!"

Then, he answered his own question, "Hmm, this evil thing is quite powerful; I'm starting to fight back."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mummified corpse delivered a flying kick, sending him flying into the air.

The golden light disappeared in a flash, followed by a loud crash, which must have hit the dome of the tomb chamber. Pieces of stone shattered and fell.

The mummified corpse stood in the ruins, looking up at the dome, its knees bent, in a posture of gathering strength.

Call out!

With a piercing shriek, the golden meteorite crashed down once more.

The yellow-robed mummy, who was well-prepared, threw a punch into the air, which collided with the diving golden body.

After a brief silence, the rubble and murky water on the ground swirled upwards, and the force of the punch transformed into ripples of wind that crashed against the four stone walls of the tomb, causing cracks to appear in the walls and boulders to tumble down.

The yellow-robed mummy's feet sank deep into the ground, and the golden body seized the opportunity to throw a punch, smashing him into the hard rock with a thunderous force.

"Master, take his head off!" Xu Qi'an shouted.

Just as the golden statue was about to step forward, the mummified corpse's gaping maw suddenly split open, transforming into a vortex that devoured everything.

As it ingested strands of gold paint, its gleaming golden body instantly dimmed.

At the critical moment, the golden statue beckoned, and a black-gold longsword emerged from the murky sewage, striking the mummified corpse on the side of its face with a clang, causing its head to sway slightly.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the golden body escaped the vortex's coverage area and delivered a sweeping kick to the back of the head, scattering golden fragments and shattering the keratinous armor on the back of the desiccated corpse's head.

Bang bang bang!

The whip-like kicks blurred into afterimages, relentlessly striking the back of the mummified corpse's head, causing explosive shockwaves that continuously disintegrated and cracked the keratin layer.

Just then, an image flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind: a rusty ancient sword bursting out of the water and striking him in the back.

Without hesitation, he immediately retracted his whip kick and rolled to the side.

The next moment, a sharp whistle rang out, and the ancient sword that had missed its target was now in the hands of the mummified corpse.

It was still covered in rust, but the sinister aura emanating from the sword made Jin Shen's brow twitch violently.

"This is Law Artifact left behind by our lord. It has absorbed countless years of Yin Qi in the tomb, making it perfect for breaking through your extremely yang protective divine power." The mummified corpse's voice was low and hoarse.

As he spoke, wisps of dark, yin Yin Qi emanated from the murky sewage, flowing into his body and repairing his cracked skin.

What to do? This large tomb is built on a geomantically auspicious site, which is like a natural formation. The mummified corpse has taken full advantage of the location. Xu Qi'an's body was completely handed over to Monk Shenshu, but his consciousness was extremely clear, and he subconsciously began to analyze it.

Consider how you would deal with this evil entity if you were in its shoes.

The monk Shenshu clasped his hands together, and his compassionate voice rang out. "Put down the butcher's knife, and turn back to the shore."

The voice contained an irresistible force, and the mummified corpse's hand holding the sword suddenly trembled, as if it could no longer hold the weapon. It then gripped the sword with both hands, its arms trembling.

Taking advantage of the moment of resistance, the golden body soared into the air, hovering above the dried corpse, its hands rapidly forming hand seals.

A metallic swastika condensed above the golden statue's head, and more swastikas emerged, forming a circular array, with the gleaming golden statue at the center.

The golden statue closed its eyes, its hands still forming hand seals, the movements so fast that only afterimages could be seen.

Correspondingly, the swastika became even more dazzling, emitting a blinding golden light that bathed the tomb chamber in a bright golden halo.

Suddenly, all the hand gestures stopped and returned to the position of clasped hands.

Boom!

A muffled boom echoed through the air, and a golden beam of light shot out from the swastika array, enveloping the yellow-robed mummified corpse.

hiss

It was as if water had been poured into a boiling oil pan, black smoke billowing out, and the mummified corpse, bathed in golden light, let out a mournful roar.

Before the golden light dissipated, the monk Shenshu said leisurely, "Abstain from anger, abstain from rage, cease hostilities."

As the golden beam of light dissipated, the mummified corpse was covered in burn marks, its keratin cracked, revealing its dark flesh.

But he showed no anger or murderous intent, and didn't even want to continue fighting. He only wanted to settle things peacefully and make money amicably.

The monk Shenshu had no such thoughts and descended from the sky to give him a head pat.

With his palm pressed against the top of his head, a loud "bang" of energy exploded, shattering the stiff bristles and keratin on the mummified corpse's head, revealing a black brain that throbbed like a heart.

In that instant, clarity returned to the mummified corpse's eyes, freeing it from the restraints imposed upon it. "Crack!" The skull regenerated within the extreme event, and with a swift movement, it grasped the bronze sword that had emerged from the water.

The sword strikes back.

Thud. This bronze sword, supposedly left behind by the mummy lord, easily pierced Shen Shu's indestructible armor, leaving a deep wound in his chest.

What flowed out was not golden or red blood, but a liquid as black as ink.

Poisoned?! Xu Qi'an's heart sank, and he felt waves of dizziness washing over him.

Two powerful bodies clashed in the empty tomb chamber, their battle sending rocks flying, waves crashing, and the entire tomb shaking and trembling.

During the process, the monk Shenshu used Buddhist teachings to deplete the Yin Qi of the mummified corpse, while the mummified corpse used a bronze sword to corrode the golden body of the monk Shenshu.

The difference is that this is the domain of mummies, an underground tomb filled with Yin Qi, while the monk Shenshu is in a state of suspended animation, unable to replenish his energy.

"You are no match for me, why don't you run away?" The mummified corpse stabbed the golden body in the chest with a sword, its voice booming like thunder.

"Now that you have awakened, if we don't kill you, the surrounding creatures will not be spared," the monk Shenshu replied.

"I do not wish to destroy this tomb and restore my lord's fortune, so I will let you go."

"I can't repay it." Monk Shenshu shook his head regretfully.

"Then die!"

Just as they were about to crush the enemy's internal organs, suddenly, the sound of drums echoed from the empty tomb.

Bang, bang, bang!

The drumming grew more and more intense, faster and faster.

The mummified corpse suddenly felt its arm trembling; it turned out that the violent beating was its opponent's heart.

When the heartbeat reaches a certain point, a flame-like magical rune emerges from between the eyebrows, igniting with jet-black flames.

Xu Qi'an's body began to swell, his healthy bronze skin turned dark black, and terrifying blue veins bulged out, as if they were about to burst his skin.

In just a few seconds, he transformed from a human into a humanoid monster.

The monster slowly stretched, making "crackling" sounds from within its body. It raised its face, a look of ecstasy on its face. "Ah, that feels good."

He raised his dark hand, grasped the sword, and gently crushed it.

"Holy crap, I almost forgot what the original form of Monk Shenshu was!" Xu Qi'an felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing this scene.

For a long time, the monk Shenshu had always presented himself as a gentle and virtuous monk to him. Gradually, he forgot the image of Heng Hui as a demon when he was possessed.

Forget that dark, terrifying severed hand, which was filled with evil and horror.

"Actually, I don't want to reveal my immortal body. It would be too taxing for me, requiring me to constantly devour the flesh and blood of living beings to replenish myself. But I hate killing, I hate it terribly."

The monk Shenshu said calmly.

He stared coldly at the mummified corpse, his eyes filled with majesty, as if an ancient king had awakened. Cold, confident, and looking down upon the world.

"Who are you? No, what kind of monster are you?"

Upon seeing this, the mummified corpse revealed an expression of extreme terror, letting out a fierce but cowardly roar.

The answer he received was the palm of the monk Shenshu, which slowly pressed down on his head. The mummified corpse retreated rapidly, unwilling to surrender and await its death.

But Monk Shenshu seemed to ignore the distance, his hand still slowly but irresistibly pressing down on the top of the head covered with thick, stiff mane, silently exerting force.

Bang!

Amidst the muffled rumble of qi, the mummified corpse's eyes glazed over for a moment, its eerie body went limp, as if it had lost the support of its bones, and it collapsed to the ground.

"My lord, my lord, I can't wait for you any longer," the mummified corpse said with difficulty, filled with resentment.

The monk Shenshu forced out a drop of Essence Blood from his fingertip, bent down, and drew a reversed swastika on the mummified corpse's forehead.

The golden light flashed and disappeared, settling into the dried corpse and rendering him unable to move.

Sensing the changes within his body and knowing he was sealed away, the desiccated corpse looked bewildered and asked in a low voice, "Why don't you kill me?"

The monk Shenshu could no longer maintain his immortal body; the flame demonic patterns dissipated, the darkness faded, and he returned to Xu Qi'an's appearance.

The entire process took only a little over ten seconds.

The monk Shenshu said gently, "What's so difficult about killing you? You're just a corpse."

Who is your lord?

They rushed out of the tomb, passed through the passageway, and returned to the labyrinth.

The absence of any ghostly soldiers pursuing them brought a sense of relief to everyone. Chu Yuanzhen, with a heavy heart, untied Hengyuan's golden gong.

Bang!

The burly monk's fist, as big as a clay pot, slammed into Chu Yuanzhen's face. After beating him up, he turned around without a word, intending to return to the main tomb.

Master Jinlian stopped him and said in a deep voice, "Going back to your death?"

Hengyuan remained expressionless and said in a low voice, "Get out of the way!"

Master Jinlian's face was deathly pale, her eyes were cloudy, and she was in a very bad state. She shook her head and said, "We have already entered the maze, and you can't go back."

Hengyuan clenched his fist tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and said in a hoarse voice, "Why did you bring me out? I owe him a life, I owe him a life!"

His voice gradually went from hoarse to choked with sobs.

No one expected that this tough-guy monk would have red-rimmed eyes.

"Daoist Master, you shouldn't have brought him along." Hengyuan slowly shook his head.

"When you joined the Heaven and Earth Society, we promised to help each other. However, this has nothing to do with Master Xu. He is not a member of the Heaven and Earth Society, and you should not ask him for help."

"He's always like this; in times of crisis, he always puts others first and sacrifices himself for others. But you can't take his kindness for granted."

"Now that Number Five has been found, and not a single member of the Heaven and Earth Society is missing, how can we face going back?"

"Master Jinlian, I am very disappointed in you, extremely disappointed."

While in the capital, Hengyuan learned from the fragments of the Earth Book that Xu Qi'an had died in battle in Yunzhou. At that time, Hengyuan was meditating with prayer beads in his hand when he crushed the prayer beads that had been with him for more than ten years.

But that incident happened far away in Yunzhou, and besides feeling sad, he was powerless to do anything about it.

This time was different. He was personally involved in the incident and witnessed everyone abandoning Xu Qi'an and fleeing for their lives. A great deal of grief and anger filled his chest.

This caused Hengyuan to doubt himself and his companions.

Master Jinlian hesitated, wanting to explain, but remembering the slap Xu Qi'an had given him at the end, he remained silent.

Chu Yuanzhen looked dejectedly at the two arguing men. His former spirit of wandering the martial world in his green robe and sword had vanished, and he looked more like a stray dog.

The image of Xu Qi'an alone in the tomb after the incident kept flashing through his mind.

Although he had only known Xu Qi'an for a short time, he greatly admired this silver gong. Long before he met him, he had already gained a deep understanding of this person through the correspondence within the Heaven and Earth Society.

Hengyuan said he was a kind-hearted person, No. 1 said he was a womanizer, and Li Miaozhen said he was a chivalrous person who disregarded minor matters but never lost his integrity.

In Chu Yuanzhen's own view, Xu Qi'an was a good friend worth making, and his character and morality were commendable.

Chu Yuanzhen felt that the biggest gain from this trip back to Beijing was meeting Xu Qi'an, a friend who was both interesting and admirable.

This person, without hesitation, stayed behind to save everyone.

This is exactly the kind of thing you would do. How are we supposed to explain this to Number Three? Chu Yuanzhen's eyes welled up with tears, and his vision gradually blurred.

"He saved my life, and I said I would repay him." As he spoke, Hengyuan's face suddenly contorted into a ferocious expression, and he muttered to himself:

"How can I face living? How can I face living?"

"Oh no, his Buddhist heart is about to collapse." Jinlian's expression changed slightly. She touched Hengyuan's brow with her fingertip, calming his agitated thoughts and allowing his Primordial Spirit to settle.

Hengyuan's eyes regained some clarity, and he roughly slapped Jinlian Daoist's hand away.

"Hengyuan, things aren't as you think," Master Jinlian shouted. "Actually, Xu Qi'an is..."

Just as he was about to tell him that Xu Ningyan was Number Three, the holder of the Earth Book fragment, and a member of the Heaven and Earth Society.

Just then, the entire underground palace suddenly began to tremble, and large stones kept falling from the dome.

Master Jinlian's voice abruptly stopped, and she frowned, looking up. "The underground palace is about to collapse."

For some unknown reason, the entire underground palace was on the verge of collapse at any moment.

Zhong Li suddenly said, "There's a problem with the underground palace. The formation has broken on its own. We can get out now."

Then, she handed Lina, who was on her back, to Hengyuan: "You carry her for me and take her out."

Another boulder rolled down, crashing straight towards Zhong Li and Lina.

"Careful!"

The thought of saving her overwhelmed his grief. Hengyuan pulled the two girls apart, took Number Five from him, and whispered, "Okay, I'll take her away."

Miss Zhong is plagued by misfortune, and given the collapse of the underground palace, it is indeed inappropriate for her to continue carrying Number Five.

The group fled and, as expected, did not lose their way again. Amidst the constant falling of rocks, they returned to the tomb chamber that connected to the tomb robbers' tunnel.

Feeling that he had completed his mission, Hengyuan let out a breath, stopped, and turned around to find that Zhong Li had not followed.

She returned to Hengyuan, frozen in place, suddenly feeling a piercing pain in her heart.

PS: Thanks to "Yan Xiaotuan", "Donghai Ge", "Cha Tu Mi Jiu Yue Kai", and "Bu Yu Xiao Zhuge" for their generous donations. Let's sleep together sometime.

This chapter has been revised. It was originally over 5,000 words long, but I wasn't satisfied with the fight scenes and some details at the beginning, so I deleted and rewrote it. I cut over 3,000 words in total.

Theoretically speaking, I wrote eight thousand words today. Hahahaha.

I'm saying this to clarify things, not to explain why I'm delaying updates without a reason.