The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 389 - 239 Ancient Tomb in the Temple_2

Chapter 389: Chapter 239 Ancient Tomb in the Temple_2

After lighting the flint, Li Yan flicked his hand, and two Thunder Fire Pills shot into the cave, swiftly rolling down the slope.

Crackling sounds!

A violent flash illuminated the cave, thick smoke billowing continuously.

"Ah! My eyes!"

Inside, chaos erupted, screams and curses resounded.

They were excavating a tomb below, scarcely lighting a few candles, and were suddenly blinded by the intense light.

Moreover, it was an enclosed space inside with stagnant air, making it unbearable for them as the acrid smoke from the Thunder Fire Pills filled the air, forcing them to scramble out.

The magician who controlled the poisonous insects was evidently also affected.

His spell was interrupted, causing the centipedes around to lose their formation, some scurrying chaotically, while others climbed back up the well.

These creatures, losing control, turned fierce and violent, immediately crawling onto those who just emerged.

"Ah!"

"Ba Lao San, what are you doing?!"

People stung by the insects cried out miserably, splashing into the water.

Li Yan squinted his eyes slightly, staring intently at the cave entrance.

When a mud-covered old man crawled out, Li Yan’s hand flicked a Flying Blade sharply.

With a puff, it drove directly into the back of the man’s head.

This person was precisely the magician controlling the poisonous insects.

With the magician’s death, the poisonous centipedes lost all restraint.

Some continued to sting indiscriminately in the well, while others quickly scurried away, disappearing under the yard walls and into the vegetable garden.

These Ghost Sect thieves were not weak.

A Hidden Energy expert, a magician adept at controlling insects, along with a group of outlaws made them an elite squad.

Unfortunately, they encountered Li Yan.

Their spells, divine skills, and weapons were all countered, making it hard for them to put up any resistance from start to finish.

Li Yan didn’t waste words, directly breaking the limbs of a scar-faced man, the intense pain awakening him once more.

"Ah! Damn you..."

Slap! Slap!

Before the curse was finished, Li Yan slapped him on both cheeks, making him see stars, his mouth filled with blood, and a few teeth flying out.

"Who are you?"

Li Yan asked coldly.

"Damn it, kill or torture me as you please!"

The scar-faced man gritted his teeth, his mouth full of blood, his eyes fierce, showing no fear.

Li Yan squinted slightly, suddenly extending his left hand.

Whoosh... The Soul Hook whistled out, directly binding the man’s divine soul without extracting it.

The scar-faced man’s body stiffened, his pupils losing focus.

Li Yan was in no hurry, waiting for several breaths’ time.

Bound by the Soul Hook, though it wouldn’t cause death, the separation of soul and body induced a terrifying sensation akin to falling into the Nine Netherworld.

Between life and death lay great terror.

This feeling was enough to scare most people half to death.

Indeed, once he retracted the Soul Hook, the man’s eyes slowly regained focus, gasping heavily, his face filled with fear.

"You... What did you do to me?"

Li Yan smiled slightly, exuding an eerie aura in the man’s eyes, "I guarantee, if you stall any longer, you’ll understand what ’seeking death but unable to find it’ means!"

"Speak, who are you?"

The man’s expression flickered, gritting his teeth, he said, "Guo Peng, the Second Incense Master of the Chaotic Mountain Society."

"Is that all?"

"That’s all."

Without another word, Li Yan extended the Soul Hook again.

This time, when the man awakened, he was somewhat on the verge of collapse, "What do you want? If you have the guts, kill me!"

Li Yan coldly replied, "What is your position in the Ghost Sect?"

Upon hearing this, the scar-faced man’s eyes showed panic, his face filled with unease, seeing Li Yan about to act again, he quickly opened his mouth:

"No, no, I’ll talk!"

"I’m a Temple Servant."

"What is this position?"

"I don’t know much, only that the sect is centered around branch altars, each with a Priest, Refiner, Temple Servant, and miscellaneous workers, able to conduct a ritual independently."

"The Priest organizes, the Refiner, all magicians, presides over altars, Temple Servants handle capture and offering, vigil, and altar protection, while miscellaneous workers do various tasks."

"As for what actions are required or who are involved above, only the Priest knows, and asking too much results in death."

Li Yan coldly said, "What benefit is there in killing and sacrificing to ghosts that makes you so ruthless?"

The scar-faced man Guo Peng hesitated and quietly whispered, "I had a severe illness, cured by a ritual. They also promised to teach me Immortal Techniques, saying I could achieve immortality in the future."

"Immortality?"

Li Yan sneered, unsurprised by these words.

Power, wealth, beauty, strength...

To satisfy desires, there are always those who would risk their lives.

Even if able to resist these temptations, immortality is enough to drive people mad; since ancient times, rulers and renowned magicians have sparked turmoil over it.

Li Yan didn’t waste words, continuing his interrogation.

"Who are the Priest and Refiner?"

"The local Priest is only one, Lu Yuan, leader of our Chaotic Mountain Society. Refiners and Temple Servants pair in teams, the one who died below, Balang, partnered with me as the Refiner."

"What were you excavating below?"

"A Chu tomb. Lu Yuan instructed us to find a jade artifact; we just unearthed it and placed it on Refiner Balang..."

While saying this, the scar-faced man’s body suddenly stiffened.

He stared blankly behind Li Yan, his eyes filled with terror.

Li Yan frowned, whirling around quickly.

Behind him, there was nothing — only the gentle drizzle falling on the vegetable garden leaves, creating a soft rustling sound.

Using his smell superpower, he detected no unusual scent.

However, the scar-faced man appeared to have seen something utterly horrifying, trembling all over, cold sweat dripped from his forehead, his teeth chattered.

"What do you see?!"

Grabbing his collar, Li Yan yelled.

Yet, the man couldn’t speak, his body stiffened, breathing halted, a ghastly "haa" sounded from his throat, and his lips turned blue.

Li Yan smelled a sudden surge of Yin Evil Qi from his left heart, cold and bloody.

It was a spell!

Li Yan hastily drew out the Divine Tiger Token, preparing to cast a Protective Spell.

Beidi’s Protection Spell not only protected the user but had a three-foot radius coverage.

However, it was already too late.

With a squelch, blood sprayed from the man’s mouth, and he became motionless.

The eerie Yin Evil Qi swiftly dissipated.

Li Yan’s eyes turned cold. His hand rose and fell, slicing open the man’s chest, revealing a sight that made his pupils contract.

The man’s heart had already stopped beating.

And upon it was a distinct black claw print, slender and sharp, with only four fingers, completely unlike a human hand.

The heart was squeezed and deformed.

Such a powerful spell!

Secretly alarmed, Li Yan rushed towards another captive bound nearby.

Yet, he was still too late.

That man’s complexion also turned ashen, his eyes filled with terror, fixedly staring ahead, totally lifeless.

Cutting open the chest revealed the same black claw mark on the heart.

Sha Lifei jumped down from the beam, gasping at the sight, "What is this Evil Technique?"

Li Yan murmured solemnly, "These fools were cursed upon joining the Ghost Sect, without even knowing."

"The Ghost Sect has realized; this place is no longer safe. Let me fetch something, and we’ll leave immediately."

With that, he took a few steps to the well, leaping inside.

In mid-air, Li Yan clenched the well rope between his legs, using a scorpion climb stance, head down, he slid into the well.

Near the water surface, he exerted his legs, stopping abruptly.

Sure enough, everyone in the water had perished.

Some succumbed to poisonous centipede stings, while others, similar to the two above, exhibited fear-stricken faces, lifeless eyes, bluish lips, cursed to death.

The magician controlling the insects was similarly rigid.

Li Yan sniffed lightly, a hint of an unusual glimmer in his eyes, and directly removed a pouch from the magician’s waist, extracting a jade artifact.

The artifact was in the shape of a flat, squat pillar, round inside and square outside, old and mottled, with a blood-red hue.

Jade Cong!

Li Yan happened to recognize this item.

In ancient times, Jade Cong, along with Bi, Gui, Zhang, Huang, and Hu, were six jade ritual artifacts collectively known as the "Six Rites," specifically used for sacrifices to heavens and Ghost Gods.

Strangely, he couldn’t detect any Astral Bane Energy from it.

What did the Ghost Sect want with this thing?

Li Yan stored the blood-colored Jade Cong, taking a glance at the dark cave entrance, his feet swung by the rope, using the force to dive inside.

The entrance sloped downward, stretching over ten meters.

Inside was an enclosed space, still filled with pungent smoke from the previous Thunder Fire Pills, and the ground was already waterlogged.

Landing, Li Yan immediately clutched the Divine Tiger Token, executing a spell with his hands while stepping with Astral Step.

Instantly, Yin Wind blew around.

The rolling smoke was completely blown out of the entrance.

Once the air cleared slightly, Li Yan picked up a candle from the ground, lighting it with the flint.

An eerie tomb chamber emerged before his eyes...