Chapter 41: Turning the Tables Part 1

In the Abyss Divine Palace:

Xiang Xian circled near the throne and saw a statue behind it. He stood tall before the statue, his lips moving slightly.

A Huang: “Are you praying to a god?”

Xiang Xian: “Do you want to say, ‘Is this the time to pray to a god’?”

A Huang: “Do you know who she is?”

Xiang Xian: “No.”

A Huang: “Then why pray! Hurry up and find a way out!”

Xiang Xian turned two more circles. With no other options, he picked up a fallen arrow shaft from the ground and prodded the Phagocytic Corpse Demon Flowers. Whenever he drew a little closer, the flowers seemed to prepare themselves, ready to snap open their maws and lunge at him. But he always stayed at a safe distance, observing the flowers and occasionally poking at them, watching their helpless reactions.

“Whatever, if you’re really that bored, go sleep,” A Huang said. “Don’t mess around here.”

Xiang Xian: “I’m thinking of a way. Be patient. Look, these flowers don’t have legs—they won’t chase us to eat us.”

Xiang Xian walked to another Corpse-Eating Flower and gestured invitingly toward A Huang. “See, Brother Flower here just ate one of their subordinates and is digesting it.”

The Corpse-Eating Flower’s bud writhed ceaselessly, as if it had not fully digested the War Dead Corpse Ghost it had consumed.

“What if I save him? Would he help us?” Xiang Xian prodded the bud a few times. The Corpse-Eating Flower showed no reaction—perhaps because it had just eaten and had no interest in more food.

A Huang did not answer and watched doubtfully.

Xiang Xian pried open the outer petals with his hands. “If Master were still here and saw this thing, he’d definitely like it.”

Intermittent groans came from inside the bud.

“He’s still alive,” A Huang said.

“Watch out,” Xiang Xian said as he peeled back the petals. “This is a War Dead Corpse Ghost. To be precise, he’s been dead for a long time.”

A Huang: “Even dead, he suffers torment. Truly painful.”

Xiang Xian: “Not necessarily. From the sound of those groans inside, he might even be enjoying it.”

A Huang: “…………”

Xiang Xian successfully extracted the half-digested War Dead Corpse Ghost. The unfortunate fellow was covered in mucus.

“Hey, are you okay?” Xiang Xian squatted on the ground and asked.

“Careful!” A Huang warned.

Once the bud was opened, it raged and lunged at Xiang Xian. A Huang flapped his wings, sending a fiery red feather slicing through the air into the bud, triggering a small explosion of flames. The Corpse-Eating Flower’s stamen took the hit and immediately coiled up tightly.

The devoured War Dead Corpse Ghost’s body remained intact—perhaps because it had not been inside long. Or maybe Xiang Xian simply could not tell which parts of their decay were natural and which had just been digested.

In any case, he seemed able to move.

The general writhed and crawled on the ground. Xiang Xian grabbed one of his hands and dragged him to a water pool, tossing him in.

Xiang Xian’s hands were covered in mucus, so he washed them as well.

“Thank you.” The general crawled out of the water.

“You’re welcome,” Xiang Xian said thoughtfully, making a gesture with his fingers. “How about some actual repayment?”

“What?” The general lifted his head. His eyes were murky and white as he looked at Xiang Xian. Xiang Xian thought this race was truly strange. Back when he followed Master Shen Kuo, he had never studied such an obscure variety, nor had the chance. If not for the urgent situation, Xiang Xian might have chatted with him properly.

“I saved your life,” Xiang Xian said. “Don’t you want to repay the favor?”

The general sighed, struggled to stand, and limped away from Xiang Xian.

Xiang Xian followed behind him. “Where are you going? Hey! What’s your name?”

“My name in life was Wang Zongshi.” The general said wearily.

“Do you know how to leave here?” Xiang Xian saw him approach a stone coffin and climb inside to lie down directly.

“There’s a talismanic rune outside leading here, accessible only to the Ghost Clan.” Wang Zongshi replied. “You’re not Ghost Clan, so you can’t use Nether Fire teleportation. Give up.”

Xiang Xian examined the War Dead Corpse Ghost named Wang Zongshi. He wore ancient armor, with black cloth strips on his arms. As he lay in the stone coffin, a ghostly blue light emanated from within, seemingly repairing his damaged body.

“This place is connected to the Earth Veins.” Xiang Xian checked the ground and noticed the Abyss Divine Palace was built on the Earth Veins, drawing power from them. So the stone coffins for the Corpse Ghosts might serve to repair them?

“You don’t want to die either, right?” Xiang Xian sat on another stone coffin and said to him.

“I’ve already died as much as one can.” Wang Zongshi closed his eyes. “Close the lid for me.”

Xiang Xian: “Do you really want to work for Mr. Liu?”

Wang Zongshi: “We can’t defy his orders. He holds the Flute of the Great Arbiter of Fate.”

Xiang Xian said: “If I steal his Flute of the Great Arbiter of Fate, you’ll be free, right?”

“Even if you steal it, you can’t use it,” Wang Zongshi said. “You’re not of our clan—you can’t command the army.”

“What a hassle.” Xiang Xian furrowed his brows. “What happens when Mr. Liu returns? If you don’t get rid of him, he’ll keep tormenting you.”

Wang Zongshi: “Deal with it. Hurry, close it. Thanks.”

Xiang Xian finished the good deed and pushed the lid on for him. “You’re welcome.”

The moment the coffin lid closed, torrential black qi surged through the Abyss Divine Palace. A Huang quickly flew away to hide. The thick black qi rushed toward the center of the throne, coalescing into Mr. Liu’s figure. At the same time, lights flashed from tens of thousands of stone coffins in the underground palace, and the routed War Dead Corpse Ghosts crawled out once more.

The black qi dispersed, and Mr. Liu fully manifested, breathing heavily as he looked toward Xiang Xian.

“You’re injured,” Xiang Xian said. “How about first…”

Mr. Liu immediately made a gesture. Xiang Xian cried out as an immense force dragged him into the air. Shackles on his neck, wrists, and ankles glowed, layering heavily and extending to all directions in the divine palace, suspending him in midair.

“Hey, why’d you suddenly get so violent!” Xiang Xian was hung spread-eagled, back facing Mr. Liu. He wanted to turn his head but was bound too tightly.

In the next instant, Mr. Liu rose and swiped his hand through the air. Black talismanic runes flickered on the central cave wall of the underground palace. Demonic Qi roiled, condensing into a dark long spear aimed at the center of Xiang Xian’s chest.